Chasing the Storm
by Iloveplotbunnies
Summary: AU Pirate. "Watch what you say," Lisbon growled. "Or I'll slit your throat and leave your body for the rats."
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _The Mentalist_, honestly.

**Summary: **AU Pirate. "Watch what you say," Lisbon growled. "Or I'll slit your throat and leave your body for the rats."

I really didn't need another fic, but this idea came to me while I was writing the pirate genre for 15genres1prompt on livejournal. I've honestly tried writing a radical AU before, so this is me stepping outside my comfort zones (and taking _plenty _of creative leeway) to bring something completely different than my usual fare to the fic table. This fic _will _be updated once a week, unless some mysterious circumstance prevents me from updating.

I have to thank three people in relation to the writing of this fic: loveconquersallxxx, who has continuously asked me to write a pirate fic. TropicalStormEmily, who looked over the first chapter for any large mistakes, and lastly WeBuiltThePyramids, for doing a final read through before this fic was posted.

I hope you all will enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>1—<strong>

"Land Ho!"

It was the single set of words that had almost the entire crew of the Scarlet Oasis set into an excited frenzy. The set of wooden doors to the Captain's Quarters blew open from the force Pirate Captain Patrick Jane had placed on it from the inside. He said nothing as he strolled across the hardwood deck and leaned against the inner railing, a smile pressed across his clean-shaven face.

"Isn't Howl Island a beaut, boys?" The entire crew, sans three, cheered in response at their Captain's enthusiastic question. Captain Jane stared out at the distant island lit by the purple and orange haze of dusk, before he turned around to face his loyal crew and called out, "How goes my favorite first mate and her lackey, this fine evening?" From a spot against the opposite railing of the Scarlet Oasis, first mate Teresa Lisbon fixed him with a firm glare. The slender brunette to the right of her narrowed her own eyes on the fair-haired Captain, who continued to grin.

"My day was going just fine," replied the brunette, with her pink lips pulled into a begrudging smile. "And _then _you showed up."

"Ah Kris, you never _do _fail to amuse me." Jane responded, brightly. "Regrettably, you continue to ignore the more important rule on this ship. Do you know what it is?"

"Rule number one: kiss the Captain's ass at all times?" Kris offered and Lisbon's elbow slammed into her ribs. "Captain," she added, rather hastily before Lisbon could even attempt to do it again.

"Excellent work, Lisbon!" Jane complimented. Lisbon grimaced in response. "If you _do_ feel the need to wet your whistle tonight, Lisbon, all your drinks are on me." The men on the crew let out yet another loud cheer, while Lisbon shook her head; the blue bandana perched atop her forehead kept her dark hair pushed behind her ears and away from her face, in the dry heat of the June evening.

"And have you hit on me, sir?" Lisbon gave, dryly. "I think I'll pass on the offer."

"Suit yourself, my first mate." Jane answered with a grin. "You've never seen my legendary status with the Salty Ana's barmaid, Ms. Hightower, though." Lisbon fixed him with another pointed glare, which he ignored in favor of Kris's voice.

"No comment on my asshole hilarity," Kris voiced, lowly. Lisbon didn't elbow the brunette again. "My, how far we've come."

Jane tipped her a grin, before he pushed away from the inner railing and started toward the steps of the helm. "No more of my rum for you." He paused briefly to give Lisbon a stern nod, before he ascended the wooden steps to speak with his sailing master.

Kris turned to Lisbon again, who fixed her surly subordinate with yet another glare. "What did he do to get legendary status?"

"You should show him some respect, Kris." Lisbon chided, while Kris moved to cross her arms against her gray V-necked t-shirt. "I know he's insufferable and intolerable at times, but he _is _the Captain of our ship." Kris said nothing in response. "I'm heading up toward the helm." Lisbon stepped away from the railing and followed the same path her Captain had taken up the stairs without hesitation. Jane had one hand pressed against the wooden wheel; his mouth moving to the sailing master, Kimball Cho. Cho seemed rather unimpressed by whatever the Pirate Captain had to say.

"I really hope you aren't letting him steer." Lisbon addressed Cho.

Cho glanced up from his array of navigational tools to blink at her, "I'm not."

Jane took his hand off the wheel and turned to face her. "I leave the navigating to Cho, and he leaves the captaining to me." Lisbon rolled her eyes at the mere suggestion that he was even in charge.

"Captain, we should dock on Howl Island for a few days." Cho suggested and Jane nodded. "We need to replenish all our supplies, considering Mashburn continues to drain them."

"You should just get rid of him," Lisbon commented in irritation. Walter Mashburn was the _other _perpetual thorn in her side, considering that every time the man saw her, he made a lewd comment about what he _thought _she should currently be doing instead of manning a crew. "Or, at the _very _least, could we keep him in the brig until we've made land."

"We'd never be able to sail without him." Cho gave.

"Firstly," Jane cleared his throat. "_I'm _the Captain. You can't sail without me."

"That's debatable." Lisbon muttered.

"Secondly," Jane continued. "Unless you've got enough monetary substance to sail us across the seven seas and back, we're not getting rid of Walter."

"You enjoy torturing me, don't you?" Lisbon stated.

"Lastly," Jane smirked. "_I'm _the Captain."

"That's _still _debatable." Lisbon stressed.

Jane raised his eyebrows toward her. "Is there something you want to tell me, my dear?" Lisbon nodded him over and he slowly approached her. "You're not secretly staging a mutiny, are you?"

"I'm sure that I've got much better things to do than stage a mutiny," Lisbon said and Jane eyed her. "We need to talk."

"I…" Jane looked over Lisbon's shoulder and she just knew he was going to evade her once more. "Oh look! It's Rigsby! He owes me copious amounts of drinking money." Jane quickly stepped past her which only made her sigh in annoyance. The Captain _was _a good man, she thought bitterly, but he had always been good at evading the more important topics at hand.

Lisbon didn't even care what Rigsby and Jane were discussing, as she turned to Cho with a frown. "How long will it be till we dock?"

Cho shrugged. "Fifteen minutes."

Lisbon groaned, silently before she moved to address him again. "I'm sending you, Rigsby and Kris to shadow Jane tonight. Try and bring him back before his tenth shot?" Lisbon hated sending any of the crew on aimless duties, but she also didn't want a repeat of the _last_ drunkenidiotic stunt that the Captain had almost caused, involving their ship and a waterfall.

"That's fine." Lisbon turned on the heels of her tan boots and descended the staircase onto the main deck only to find Kris and Mashburn, who both appeared to be in the middle of a heated discussion.

"…well, you're just foolish!" Kris insulted. Mashburn overlapped his arms against his rhinestone vested chest. "I don't understand _why _we keep you around, considering you're a pain in the ass." Lisbon crossed her arms against her navy blue t-shirted chest. Kris had a horrible temper and Mashburn didn't know when to keep his mouth shut, it honestly was a miracle that Kris hadn't killed him yet.

"You shouldn't bully the rich and famous." Mashburn quipped with a wide smile. "It's what we call petty jealousy."

"You wish." Kris sneered.

"What in the _hell _are you two doing?" Lisbon tapped her foot against the deck floor, which caused both of them to turn and glance at her in complete surprise. "I thought I gave you both work to finish."

Mashburn waved her off, "You're looking awfully gorgeous today, Teresa." He tilted his head to view her left side. "Is that a new sword?" Lisbon narrowed her eyes. "It looks spiffy on you, my dear."

"We're not even ten minutes away from docking and you're hitting on me? Seriously?" Lisbon asked. "Don't you ever give it a rest?"

"Not when I'm trying to win you over." Lisbon blinked. "Besides," Mashburn continued, as he balefully grinned. "It's my money. You all belong to me."

"Then _you _can go inform the Captain of that remarkable fact, Walter." Lisbon snipped. She turned her eyes on Kris. "And _you_?"

"I'm here for the moral support." Kris brightly offered. "What do you want of me, Boss Lady?"

"I wish you would stop calling me that, Kris." Lisbon said. "I'm the first mate, not your Captain."

"Never!" Kris exclaimed. "You act more like the Captain than he does…"

"_Saffron_!" Lisbon gritted Kris's last name between her teeth. Kris lost her smile. "We've had this discussion. You can disrespect him all you want _behind _my back, but to my face…you will treat him with respect, am I understood?"

"Fine," Kris stated, with the roll of her eyes. "Whatever you say, Boss Lady." Lisbon gritted her teeth again as Kris plastered another large grin across her face. "If you don't need anything else, I think I'm going to…"

"Oh no, you aren't off the hook yet." Lisbon interrupted. "You're on Jane Duty with Cho and Rigsby tonight." Kris groaned. Lisbon shot her a stern look. "I did it the last time. I stopped him from selling us to China."

"I really don't want to be sold to China…" Kris justified by shuddering. "I'll do it, but only for you."

"Thanks for offering, Kris." Lisbon sarcastically responded. "Now, I know you can follow direct orders. You're moving up on this ship."

"Ha-ha, _very _funny." Kris turned on the heels of her black boots and went below deck. Lisbon twisted her body around to glance at Mashburn, who had paused to openly leer in her direction.

"What are you looking at?"

Mashburn grinned, "The most beautiful…"

"_Go_!" Lisbon exclaimed; her hand went straight for her sword. "If you don't get out of my sight right now, I will blind you with the tip of my damn sword." Mashburn hurriedly turned on his own red boots and headed for the mess hall. "I'm surrounded by idiots." She leaned against the inner railing again and turned to stare out into the dark blue almost black ocean. Lisbon tried to blink away the ominous storm that hovered just beyond the horizon, but she found that she couldn't do so.

"Imagining Walter walking the plank, huh?" Lisbon jumped and turned around to glare at the grinning Captain. "I am just admiring the scenery, like every good Captain should." Lisbon rolled her green eyes.

"You and Mashburn never stop, do you?" Lisbon asked in annoyance. "I'd like to be able and enjoy the ocean _for once _without you breathing down my neck or doing something _idiotic_."

"What in the world are you going on about, Lisbon?" Jane responded, as he rocked on the ball of feet. "I'm just admiring the lovely sunset, and the total serenity that the water brings me."

Lisbon snorted. "And you chose to interrupt my own personal admiration, because…?"

"I just wanted to ask who my babysitter is for tonight."

"Your _babysitters _are Rigsby, Cho, and Kris. I'm sure you four will enjoy yourselves and behave." Lisbon answered with a smirk. "You'll also have the proper time to bond with Kris, who is absolutely crazy about you."

"I'm sure she's crazy enough to take a knife to my throat." Jane corrected. "I don't understand your continuous need to pin us together, Lisbon."

"One day," Lisbon explained. "You may need her, so you should play nice."

Jane playfully pouted. "She doesn't play nice with me, and you're _always _harping about the respect I should have for my crew." Lisbon frowned; it was either he didn't get it or he just didn't _want _to get it and she had the feeling it was more the latter than anything else. "In response to your _horrible _planning, I hereby order you to stay with your good buddy, Walter, while we dock on Howl Island."

"I think I'll let you know that I have the lesser of two evils." Lisbon teased. "Mashburn _goes _away if I threaten him or if I lock the doors to my quarters'. Kris _never _leaves."

Jane shrugged. "She can't be any worse than you, my dear." Lisbon slammed her hand against his upper arm. "On some crews," he rubbed at his arm. "It's considered mutiny to hit your Captain."

"And in some crews," she retorted. "You'd be the Swabbie."

"Calm down, woman." Jane soothed, he held his hands out in front of himself. "You're still my favorite first mate." He shot her a gentle smile.

"You're still the insufferable Captain."

"Wait, I'm _not _your favorite insufferable Captain?" Jane feigned hurt. "I'm wounded, Lisbon. Truly wounded." He pressed his hands against his chest. "How could you say such spiteful and hurtful things?"

"Nice try, Jane." Lisbon gave. "But you're _still _stuck with Kris; she's a valuable member of your crew." Jane crinkled his nose. "Now, don't you have something more important to do besides standing around, bothering me?"

Jane shook his head, his blonde curls bounced everywhere. "No. I'm all yours."

"Really?" Lisbon questioned in disbelief. Jane nodded. "You finally listening to me and my orders are a dream come true."

"Until we dock, of course." Jane explained. "I wouldn't want to make _all _your dreams come true," he paused to slyly smile in her direction. "Especially, the ones involving Walter Mashburn." Lisbon hit him again. "You enjoy hitting me, don't you?"

"Those aren't dreams," Lisbon ignored his question. "Those are nightmares; unspeakable ones." Jane turned to glance back at the ocean, as did she.

"It's going to storm soon." Jane addressed. "You should make sure we're not taking on any water, while we're docked."

"While I _also _stay here with Mashburn?" Lisbon responded. Jane nodded again. "What is he going to do? Use his rhinestones to plug up any holes?" Jane grinned. "Why don't you just let me use his mouth?" Lisbon paused. "Forget his mouth, how about we use yours? You both are filled with enough hot air to plug _several _ships."

Jane fixed her with another grin. "I've rocked more than a few ships in my day."

"Okay." Lisbon halted him. "Enough of that, we both have work to do. Go away."

"But, Lisbon!" Jane whined. "I…"

"Go or I'll shoot you in the foot." He took the moment to glance her up and down, which served to both amuse and irritate her to no end.

"Where's your gun?" Jane slyly asked.

"It's none of your damned business, Jane." Lisbon cursed. "Go, before I hide my weapon in you!"

"Well, Lisbon." Jane continued, he ignored her orders as usual. "I'd like to have a part of…"

"Jane!" Lisbon exclaimed, angrily. "Enough! Go captain your ship!"

He merely smiled and hurried away, as they made dock on Howl Island.

_Orders or not_, Lisbon thought as she headed toward the mess hall, _I'm not going to stay with Mashburn the entire time_.

Forty minutes later, Lisbon lingered outside the dirty high window of the Salty Ana; she could see inside past the slightly cracked window and without much contempt, she watched her fellow crewmates consume whatever specialty the barkeep had concocted for the evening. Cho, Rigsby, and Kris sat at a small square wooden table behind the Captain, who remained seated across from the barkeep with his arms occupied by two different women.

"He looks happy, doesn't he?"

Lisbon spun on the heel of her boots to find Craig O'Laughlin, dressed in a loose black buttoned-up shirt and tan tights, propped up against the adjacent alley wall. Rage bubbled up inside of her at the cold smirk plastered across his scruffy and dirt encrusted face, and almost immediately, she had the edge of her sword pressed up against his jugular in the flickering candlelight provided by the residents of the island.

"I must say," O'Laughlin continued, as if he didn't have her sword pressed against his neck. "He looks far better than the last time we crossed paths," O'Laughlin glanced at her right shoulder with a smirk. "As do you, Teresa." Lisbon applied more pressure on her sword and O'Laughlin winced. "Your _Captain_ gave you direct orders to kill me on sight, eh?" Lisbon said nothing. "But you won't do it, because you _can't _do it."

"You want to bet, _Craig_?" Lisbon threw, angrily. O'Laughlin chuckled. "You shot me. You betrayed the Captain! Your penalty, decided on by Captain Jane and myself, is a one way trip to Davy Jones' locker courtesy of my sword."

O'Laughlin waved her off. "Is your Captain _still _searching the seven seas, high and low, for Red John?" Lisbon stilled at his mention of Red John. The dark-haired pirate gave her an all-knowing look. "I thought so. He should really stop searching or he'll end up like all the others." O'Laughlin paused to smirk. "And I don't think we need to discuss what that means for you both, considering the _close _relationship that you and he seem to share." He cocked his eyebrows in suggestion.

"Watch what you say," Lisbon growled. "Or I'll slit your throat and leave your body for the rats."

"Are you sure you want me to be quiet?" O'Laughlin inquired with a suspicious smile. "I could have invaluable insights on something you have been chasing for years. Killing me would be an absolute waste."

"Alright then," Lisbon snarled, though she didn't pull back her gleaming sword. "Tell me first, and _then _I will kill you." O'Laughlin tittered.

"How am I supposed to tell you anything with your sword pressed against my throat?" O'Laughlin gave. "I thought you had _some _intelligence, Teresa."

Lisbon slowly pulled back her sword with a stunned expression across her face; in the eight years that she had been sailing with Jane, nobody had _once _questioned her intelligence and O'Laughlin doing so, filled her with an impeding sense of dread.

O'Laughlin used her moment of surprise to step past her. "You're not so defensive now, are you? What I said got to you, Teresa. Otherwise," he paused to glance at her. "You would have drawn back your sword from my neck." Lisbon said nothing, as he glanced away from her and into the dirty window of the Salty Ana. "I mean, _look _at those women. They make him happy, Teresa; in ways that you never could. He only views you as a tool in his game and once he gets what he wants from you, he will leave you," Lisbon readied herself to backhand him. "For yet another collection of questionable women." She reared back her arm and let loose toward his face, but before she could smack the smirk off his face, he grabbed her wrist and stared her down with his grey eyes. "You'll never be good enough for him. You never were good enough for me, either." Lisbon had no time to blink, let alone think, before he backhanded her across the face, at full force, with his own free hand and shoved her backwards.

Her head hit the brick wall of the Salty Ana with enough force that she slumped to the ground unconscious within the narrow alleyway. O'Laughlin towered over her and ripped the blue bandana off her head.

"That's what you get for speaking to me like that, you filthy whore." His dark shadow, displayed in the flickering candlelight from a window alcove nearby, distorted her facial features from view, as her chest rose and fell with every shallow breath she took.

* * *

><p>"No." Cho stated his voice loud enough to carry over above the loud, drunken chaos of the Salty Ana. Kris, Cho and Rigsby remained seated at a table directly behind Jane, who continued to toss down shots of tequila at the bar. None of the other pirates (or women) paid much attention to them, which meant that some small conversation was permitted.<p>

"Come on, Cho." Rigsby pleased, as he drank from his own beer glass. "Why not? It would be fun."

Cho blinked. "The last time we did that, we almost killed three people and you injured Hightower."

Uninterested in the conversation that the boys were having, Kris stared intensely at the Captain as he plowed through his thirteenth shot glass with two giggling women attached to his arm and thought, _he's going to feel that in the morning_.

One of those two giggling women, Kris noticed, was more moderately dressed; she wore black high heels, a white t-shirt, and a jet-black skirt. She, physically, had a slender build with long legs, though the long legs could have been due to the heels she wore. Much like her own self, the woman was a brunette with significantly shorter hair.

The other woman, was taller, almost Jane's full standing height with a slender build and lengthier legs; she wore a pair of black cheap flats, a pale green belly shirt, and an extremely short pair of white shorts, which hugged her ass. Her darker shade of brown hair was cropped into, what the female pirate only assumed, was a manlike haircut. Kris rolled her eyes, she also had a feeling that the taller female was prostitute and the other, was probably a local woman cheating on her rich husband.

Those kinds of women always cheat on their husbands, she thought darkly, even though they have it better than anyone else on this forsaken island.

"Selfish whores," Kris muttered under her breath, while she tightly clutched her half-empty beer glass between her callused hands. She absolutely hated Captain Duty, because it was nothing more than a waste of her—and everyone else's—time. Kris removed one of her hands from around her beer glass and refocused her attention on Rigsby and Cho's now-hushed conversation. "What did you do to injure Hightower, Rigsby? Throw a pillow?"

Rigsby glanced at her. "No."

"Then what did you do, tough guy?" Kris inquired. "Kill someone, behead a chicken, fathered a child…?" Rigsby sputtered in surprise, though she took absolutely no pride in making him do so, Rigsby had always been rather easy to windup.

"We played drunken darts." Cho explained. Kris quickly glanced around the small yet packed bar for any sight of a dart board, but she couldn't find one. "We used people as targets." She eyed Rigsby in veiled contempt. "The barkeep, Madeleine Hightower, unwillingly became a target after too many drinks."

"Twenty-five points for right between the eyes." Rigsby answered, lowly. "Fifteen if you hit a leg, ten if you hit a hand, and five if you manage to hit their back." Kris blanched; the very idea that _any _of them—drunk or sober—could find that sport fun, disgusted her. Pirate or not, she still had morals. "It was much more fun than it sounds."

"Did you hit it and then quit it?" Kris innocently asked, while she lifted her glass to her lips. Cho snorted into his beer and Rigsby, who had just taken a gulp of his own beer, spewed it all over the almost-certain prostitute in the green. Kris bit back her bubbling laugh, as he glanced up almost apologetically. Jane didn't even seem to notice his irate female "friend" slapping Rigsby hard across the face, before she stormed out of the bar in complete anger with the brunette on her heels, as he was too busy downing his fourteenth shot. "I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not." Rigsby said nothing in response and she briefly wondered if she had stepped past some unspoken boundary.

"Cho?" Rigsby questioned, hastily—the rarely used serious tone in his hushed voice made Kris lean in closer in apprehension. "Does that look like O'Laughlin to you?" Cho glanced up from his drink to stare in the direction of wherever Rigsby indicated with the bare tilt of his head. She discreetly glanced over in confusion to catch sight of a black-shirted and short dark-haired pirate, who left the bar via the side door leading out into the left alleyway.

"No." Cho answered. Rigsby furrowed his dark brows and gingerly moved to touch his face, where he had been slapped and winced.

"Damn women." Rigsby muttered, darkly.

Kris chuckled. "Stronger than she looks?" Rigsby said nothing and she glanced back at him, his pale cheek still blotched scarlet. "Who's O'L…?"

"Nobody." Rigsby hurried to interrupt. Kris raised her own eyebrows; the man was obviously angry with her, but it didn't mean he had to be blatantly rude.

"He or she didn't seem like nobody." Kris snidely commented. "If he _was _nobody, you would have reacted to being…"

Rigsby took another sip of his beer. "He was somebody who betrayed the Captain, okay?" Rigsby paused in exasperation. "We don't talk about him around the Captain, drunk or sober."

"You just did." Kris pointed out.

"Maybe I just thought I saw him?" Rigsby muttered. "O'Laughlin wouldn't be idiotic enough to come here."

"Maybe." Cho answered.

Kris knew she wasn't going to any more out of the boys, so she glanced back up to eye the Captain. "He's going to get slapped across the face." Kris lowly stated; Jane had engaged the barkeep in a conversation, and the female barkeep was looking _less _and _less _amused every time he opened his mouth. Sure enough, no more than five minutes later, the barkeep had slapped Jane across the face and stomped off in the direction of a less drunk patron. "I wish I had made a bet on that."

"Nobody would win." Cho replied. "Hightower always slaps Jane."

"_That's _Hightower?" Kris whistled in surprise. "I'm surprised she still serves our crew, considering you idiots hit on her, both literally and figuratively."

Rigsby made a face at her glare. "I apologized."

"She made him clean the kitchen." Cho maintained. Kris laughed, before she eyed the Captain again; he had somehow managed to stumble backwards off his barstool and he was staring straight at them. His mouth was fixed into a stupid little smile as he closed the distance between himself and the table they had claimed as their own for the evening. She crinkled her nose and waited for him to say something to any of them, the man—even from a foot away—smelled like the combination of cheap rum, flowery perfume, sweat and tequila.

Dressed in his usual attire of a white, buttoned-up loose shirt, black tights and a pair of black pirate boots, he bent down and steadied his arms across the wooden surface of their table until he was eye-level with her.

"Hey sweetheart," Jane breathed. Kris almost gagged; she had never been able to tolerate the smell of alcohol on somebody's breath. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing with a stiff thing like him?" Jane jerked his thumb in Rigsby's direction. She tilted her head to the left, glad to be free from his rancid breath and chuckled at the alcohol-induced memory loss.

"I had no idea you were a stiff, Rigsby." Kris addressed in a whisper. Rigsby gave her a strained smile; he had never been amused by the Captain's drunken escapades and he was never usually assigned to the horrific babysitting duty. Cho said nothing, which didn't surprise Kris at all.

The Captain grew impatient, and banged his fist on the table. "Want me to rock your world tonight, baby?" Kris widened her eyes; she wasn't shocked by his offer, because Jane hit on _everything_ with legsafter twelve shots of tequila, though she had honestly never heard such a horrible pick-up line in all of her twenty-two years.

"Dear," she pulled his face to hers with an ungentle tug on his upper left shoulder. Jane puckered his lips and Kris leaned closer until her lips met his left ear. "Most men don't make it till morning with me," she paused to lick at her dry lips. "Something about ending up with more than they can actually handle, I believe."

With that, she shoved the Captain backwards, where he stumbled into a random bar patron. Kris hopped up from her seat and patted Rigsby on the shoulder. "Let's go. He's hitting on me, and he reeks of cheap women." Rigsby groaned, though he and Cho stood and moved from behind the table to seize their Captain by his arms.

"Come on, Captain." Rigsby grunted. "It's time to leave, before the first mate comes after you." Both men, plus Jane, made their way from the bar through the double doors and into the darkness punctuated by candlelight. Kris followed closely behind them, with her hand pressed against the hilt of her sword as her sight settled on the back of Jane's bent legs. Rigsby was so preoccupied with redistributing Jane's dead weight between himself and Cho that he didn't notice Kris, swiftly lift one of her own leather high heeled boots to kick at the back of Jane's knees.

Cho glanced at her over his left shoulder. "Hope Lisbon doesn't find out."

Kris scowled in return. "He deserves _much _more than a gentle tap to the back legs."

"If he has a bruise, you know who will be after you?" Cho questioned. Kris shrugged her shoulders; his information wasn't anything new. Lisbon seemed completely bent on her getting along with Jane, though it would never happen. "The first mate."

"Let her come after me," Kris allowed, jokingly. "It's been such a long time since I've had a decent sparing match." Cho shook his head before he turned to face forward. "It's not like he's going to feel it or anything come morning."

"Not the point." Cho granted, as Jane glanced over one of his shoulders and opened his mouth.

"_We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack…_" Jane sang in a slur. Everybody ignored him.

"I didn't kick very hard." Kris commented. "I didn't even kick hard enough and you're complaining? It's not like I took my sword to his legs." Kris rolled her eyes at Jane's drunken singing. "I think she'd understand, considering you two didn't stop him from drinking enough to put down a horse."

"_Maraud and embezzle and even high-jack…_" Jane continued to sing.

On the torch lit docks, Kris continued to speak over the singing Jane, as they approached the Scarlet Oasis, docked at the very end of a long line of stagnant ships. "Besides, he hit on me and I felt threatened." Neither Rigsby nor Cho responded.

"_Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me…!_" Jane pitched at the top of his lungs, while the men dragged him onto the ramp of the ship and past a few lingering crewmates, who didn't bother refraining from snickering at their inebriated Captain.

"Kris, go find Lisbon." Cho ordered. Kris nodded and the two men dragged Jane toward his quarters, where she hoped he would stay out of their hair for the rest of the night, before she went on her search for Lisbon.

Ten minutes later, Kris found the incredibly outlandish Mashburn in the small mess hall with a late night snack of apple slices before him, after she had searched the entire ship for the first mate. She didn't wait for an invitation to join him as she plopped down on the bench across from him and stole half of his snack.

Mashburn glanced up at her. "I can't eat _anything _around here without you stealing it." Kris popped an apple slice into her mouth, grinning all the while. "Anyway, are you here for me and my midnight special?" Mashburn wiggled his eyebrows.

Kris blanched, her nose crinkled and her stomach churned. "Ew, I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole."

"Does _my _eleven-foot pole work for you?" Mashburn offered, suggestively.

"I _came _to ask you if you had seen Lisbon since, you know, this evening." Mashburn gave her a nonchalant shrug in response and Kris sighed. "If you give me an answer, I won't tell Lisbon that you raided her panty drawer last week." Mashburn's eyes grew wide. "I'm also quite positive that Jane is privy to this information also and right now—he's a deck above us, screaming at the top of his lungs for _something_—you never know what me might let slip…"

"She left," Mashburn threw, quickly. "The Captain ordered her to stay behind with me, and she said she couldn't take any more of my dapper charm and heightened personality."

"Uh," Kris scratched her head in hesitation. "I'm not entirely _too _sure that charm is the word I'd use. Annoying, maybe? Charming? Over my dead body."

Mashburn chuckled. "You always have intrigued me, my dear." Kris pulled another face in response. "Teresa said she needed some fresh air a while ago. Has she not come back yet?" He seemed almost concerned, which made Kris frown with worry. She had been on the ship for almost eight months and never _once _had she seen Mashburn show any expression other than a dead stare of boredom or that half-smile he used to try and seduce either herself or Lisbon into his sheets.

Kris stood. "Thanks, Mashburn." She hurriedly left the mess hall before he could aimlessly hit on her again and she made her way back upon the main deck in the pitch blackness. Cho met her by the steps to the lower decks.

"Did you find her?" Cho asked.

"Mashburn said she left hours ago." Kris shook her head. Rigsby joined them a few moments later. "How's Jane?"

"The Captain is completely out of it." Rigsby replied. "He even tried to hit on me."

"I'm sorry?" Kris offered. "But we have _much _bigger problems at the moment."

Rigsby tilted his head. "Like?"

"Don't worry about it." Cho responded. "Lisbon can take care of herself."

"The boss isn't here?" Rigsby questioned and Kris shook her head again.

"Mashburn said he hasn't seen her since this evening."

"Mashburn said." Cho repeated. "He's an unreliable source."

"He's constantly following her." Kris explained her arms crossed against her chest. "If _anybody _knows where she is, who isn't drunk at the moment, it's Mashburn."

"She has a valid point." Rigsby answered.

Cho stared at them both. "Lisbon isn't irresponsible. She doesn't ignore orders from the Captain."

"Well," Kris began, still cross. "Don't make me say 'I told you so' when she's not back tomorrow morning and Jane is after both of your necks."

"My neck?" Rigsby parroted. "Why my neck?"

"You _are _the one who thought you saw that guy at the bar." Kris continued. "And how much do you want to bet that he is behind her disappearance, because there are no such things as coincidences." Rigsby frowned. "I'm sure Jane wouldn't be _too _happy if he found out you didn't kill the bastard on the spot, given your history with him."

"O'Laughlin wouldn't do anything to Lisbon, would he?" Rigsby consulted with Cho. "It's not in his nature."

"Why not?" Kris argued. "You told me he betrayed the crew."

"It just isn't." Rigsby answered. "Craig O'Laughlin can be considered various things; a womanizer, a traitor and a liar…but he's not stupid enough to put his hands on the first mate." Kris eyed him.

"Can you tell me where she is then?" Neither said anything. "See? You can't."

"Maybe we should gather the crew and search the island….just to be safe?" Rigsby suggested. "It couldn't hurt."

"Fine." Cho nodded. "We'll search the entire island." Kris, Cho and Rigsby hurried off the ship and back to the still open Salty Ana, before anybody spoke again.

"We'll search the alleyways next to here." Cho conceded. "Rigsby, Kris—take the left alleyway, I'll take the right." Kris almost groaned, but she knew finding Lisbon was more important than any annoyances caused by her personal feelings toward the partnership. Cho had ordered the rest of the crew (sans Jane) to search the outer lying parts of the inhabited island while they had agreed to search the areas around the bar.

Kris stepped into the alleyway behind Rigsby, before she glanced at him and he glanced at her.

"I'll search way down there." Rigsby pointed toward the exit door and high glass window of the Salty Ana. Kris shrugged.

"Whatever." Kris glanced down at the narrow dirt path and back up at the brick walls; she could only _imagine _the number of scandalous things that had occurred in the alleyway outside the bar, when Rigsby dashed past her without an apology. She huffed in pure annoyance. "We're pirates _not _cannibals." Kris hurried after him and caught up to Rigsby and Cho, as Cho quickly explained he hadn't found Lisbon or anything related to her behind the right side of the building. Kris opened her mouth to respond when Rigsby opened his own fisted hand and in the very center of his palm, remained a wrinkled and dirty blue bandana; the same one Lisbon had worn the very last time they had each seen her.

And in the distance, a storm continued to approach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **Hah, no.

Thanks to Frogster, your fan, piratemonkey06, lolly2222, ShunKickShunKers, and WeBuiltThePyramids for the reviews!

I wanted to answer a few general questions about this story: A) Van Pelt is not _in _this story. She's mentioned, but she's not actually in it. However, this can always change later. B) Kris is a new character. I felt it was best to create this new character in order to show how the pirate crew works, and just have a different perspective. :)

Once again, I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>2—<strong>

Kris trailed behind Rigsby and Cho, who both seemed to move through the deserted part of Howl Island at a snail's pace. Nobody said a word and her booted feet crunched in the nearly invisible gravel, which sat outside one of the rundown houses that they had passed on their way back to the Scarlet Oasis.

She honestly didn't want to speak off their ship, due to her overwhelming paranoia of being overheard (or caught unaware) by any squatting pirate, but she needed to know their next course of action to soothe the fear bubbling up within the pit of her stomach.

"What do we do now?" Neither Rigsby nor Cho paused to respond to her question and Kris moved her arms from her sides to rest across her chest. She knew they had both heard her question, which meant they were either biding their time or they were ignoring her. Either way, she wouldn't have it. "You were planning on telling Jane, weren't you?" Rigsby paused in mid-step and turned on the heel of his brown boots to fix her with a somber look.

"Of course, we're going to tell him." Rigsby shot back. Kris stared in disbelief. "Why wouldn't we?" Kris didn't trust either of them to tell Jane, mainly because she had always felt that they wanted to save their own skins by throwing somebody else to test the mercy of their so-called beloved pirate captain. Rigsby tapped his foot against the graveled ground for an answer, though she knew she couldn't give them her version of the honest truth. "Well?"

"You're dodging my question." Kris stated. "Once again, who is going to tell him?"

"We're trying to think, Kris." Cho replied, crossly as he turned to slowly face her in the pale yellow candlelight, given off by the glowing docks that sat in the near distance. "We don't have all the answers."

"Think faster," Kris threw. "We're almost at the ship, and somebody needs to tell Jane that the first mate has been kidnapped." She waited for one of them to answer her, though it quickly became clear that neither one of them was going to own up to the problem at hand. Kris glanced beyond both Rigsby and Cho's shoulders to view the ship, which remained in close distance, before she pushed past them both and hurried toward the docked Scarlet Oasis.

"Kris!" Kris heard Rigsby exclaim from behind her. She ignored him to concentrate on the burning sensation in her lungs, as she sprinted across the wooden dock and stepped over the threshold to their nearly empty ship vessel, besides for the Captain (she assumed he hadn't managed to pull himself from his drunken slumber during their search) and Ron, who had remained on watch in the ship's towering crow's-nest. "Kris!"

Kris paused under the mainmast to catch her breath, as she stared down into the open compartment that led to the lower decks. She waited for her fellow pirates to catch up to her, before she said another word in a low pant. "I want to know who's going to tell him."

"If it's so important to you," Rigsby began, hastily. "You should tell the Captain."

Kris glanced up from the dark compartment in a mixture of burning rage and self-righteousness. "I did absolutely nothing wrong! If I tell him, he'll slit my throat." Her hands gently cupped around her throat with a tight frown. Rigsby's mouth slightly moved and Kris glared, because she had a feeling that whatever he had just said, related to her previous comment.

"Knock it off you two." Cho interjected. Kris glanced at him and pulled her hands from around her throat. "We have work we need to finish."

"Correction," Kris gave, coolly. "You both have some work to do, as seeing that I've done absolutely nothing wrong."

Cho fixed her with his brown eyes. "We can't tell the Captain right now."

"And why can't we?" Kris questioned with a scowl. Rigsby stepped past her and went down the set of wooden steps. She followed after him to rush past the cargo hold, the crew quarters, the hall of cannons (at least it was to her; being a giant walkway with canons for firing purposes), until she had stepped into the deserted crew mess and hurried toward one of the aging tables in the back of the large room, before she situated herself at the benched table and Rigsby with Cho sat across from her. "He needs to be told." She impatiently drummed her fingers against the rough tabletop and waited for one of them to reply to her.

"Don't be ridiculous. Have you ever had the privilege of telling him anything after he's had ten shots?" Rigsby asked and Kris shook her head. Lisbon had usually taken care of Jane before, during and after his drunken stupidity, which meant that she personally had never needed to interact with the drunken idiot. "He doesn't take any news well, and this news…" Rigsby paused to exhale. Kris frowned; if Jane's two most "trusted" crewmembers (besides Lisbon) were worried for Lisbon's fate, it meant nothing good for any of them.

Cho pressed his arms against the top of the wooden table, before he spoke again. "We had something like this happen years ago."

"Years ago?" Kris asked as she furrowed her brows in mild-confusion. "You let her be kidnapped _twice_?"

"No." Cho answered. "Not to Lisbon." Kris blinked in surprise. She had never heard of another woman, besides herself and Lisbon, having ever been on the ship. Though, it wouldn't have surprised her. Jane's crew of pirates had always kept awfully quiet about the past happenings on the ship, before she had joined the crew at Lisbon's insistence. "Two years ago, we had another woman on the crew. We docked and she went missing. We could never find her."

"Is that why Jane drinks?" Kris questioned. Neither man seemed distraught over the missing crewmember from two years ago, but she wondered if Jane had taken the news extremely hard and had turned to drinking memories of her away. "Had she and Jane been lovers?"

Rigsby grimaced in response. "Where do you get these ideas? Walter Mashburn?"

"I'm curious, okay?" Kris said. "I've never heard any of this before, so nobody should assume that I won't _try _and paint an entire portrait with three words."

"It's not important." Cho gave. "Rebecca's disappearance has nothing to do with Lisbon."

"Did I _say _it did?" Frustration had never colored her well, but the automatic assumption that she had connected the two together angered her. "Lisbon was kidnapped. How do you know Rebecca didn't runoff on her own?" Neither said anything again. "Will Jane try and make a connection out of this?"

"Hard to say." Rigsby stated and Kris titled her head slightly in confusion. "The Captain might _think _there's a connection, as he doesn't believe in coincidences." Cho nodded in agreement. "Do you have any more questions?"

"Would O'Laughlin hurt her?" Kris questioned. Rigsby glanced down at the surface of the table and brought his thumbs together to twiddle.

"Yes." Cho answered.

"What would he do to her?" Kris continued her line of questions with a slight frown. "I know Lisbon can handle herself. It's not like she couldn't take him."

Rigsby shook his head. "You're right, she can take him. But, you don't know what type of man Craig O'Laughlin is or was." She almost rolled her eyes, how did they expect her to know the type of man Craig was; especially if they continued to hide their pasts from her?

"Then, this is the perfect time to explain. Instead of walking around on eggshells _every time_ his name is mentioned, you could just tell me." Kris suggested. Rigsby shot Cho a side glance and she clenched her teeth together. "I've been on this crew long enough to be told that information, at least."

"O'Laughlin could torture her; cut out her tongue, cut off a few fingers…" Rigsby trailed off and Kris tried to ignore the nausea from his information. "He's a sadistic bastard."

Kris briefly glanced up at the bare wooden ceiling. "I assumed that since she was kidnapped by O'Laughlin, he was anything but harmless." Cho and Rigsby stared at her as she glanced back at them. "It's the truth, isn't it? Or are you going to cover that up as well?"

"We're not covering up anything."

"It seems like you are." Kris commented. "You're only giving me enough to keep me quiet, and it's not going to work."

"Once again," Rigsby said, his own teeth were clenched. "We're not hiding anything from you or the Captain, we want our facts straight first."

"What facts do you need straightened out first?" Kris questioned, her eyes narrowed on them both. "Lisbon was kidnapped. You both drank instead of shooting O'Laughlin. Jane decided to sleep through the festivities, and this entire thing is his fault. You both are idiots and beyond that, I'm sure you both will find some way to pin this all on me."

Rigsby shot from his seat to stare down at her. "You've overstepped your boundaries!"

"You have absolutely no right to lecture me on boundaries, Rigsby. You're not the captain!" Kris pounded her fist against the table in anger.

"Neither are you." Rigsby retorted.

"Obviously not," Kris spat. "If I was, I would have _never _allowed the first mate to be kidnapped." The room fell silent and she tossed Rigsby a slight smirk. "Not so smug now, are you?"

"Both of you knock it off." Cho interjected again, while Kris continued to silently fume. "Fighting isn't going to help."

"It's not meant to be helpful." Kris muttered. Cho eyed her.

"You should just go back to whatever hellhole you came from, Saffron." Rigsby jeered her last name. Kris jumped from her spot and clenched her fists together; she didn't care if he automatically over towered her by _at least _a foot or so, but she wasn't going to back down in intimidation. He merely laughed at her. "Oh, I _hope _I didn't overstep a boundary like you."

"Go fuck yourself." Kris spat in response; she couldn't stand _anybody_—him, of all people, using her last name. If it weren't for the fact that they needed him around, she would have had no qualms in running her sword straight through his chest. She didn't wait for either one of them to reply back to her, as she stormed from the crew mess and somehow managed to collapse onto her small white cot.

Kris buried her head into her white pillow, which smelled sweetly of sweat; she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing or hearing her cry, especially over something not related to Lisbon's disappearance.

* * *

><p>Jane groaned, as he braced his left arm against his closed eyelids to keep the bright sun from his sensitive eyes. His mouth and throat felt dry, his entire body ached, and he felt an acute pounding at the base of his skull; he didn't drink too often, but when he did, he always felt it the next morning. <em>Hopefully<em>, he thought with a slight wince, _Lisbon won't be too angry with me_.

He knew he was in his bed, without even running his fingers over the pilfered downy white sheets. Lisbon, livid or not, had never allowed for him to remain passed out in a gutter somewhere; she had always seemed to be rather concerned about his well-being, and though he pretended to wave her concern off during each lecture, he continued to find it (and her) rather amusing.

"Lisbon?" Jane groaned.

Jane waited to hear Lisbon's heavy booted footsteps outside his door or the sound of her slamming his quarter doors shut, just to worsen his headache, but neither came. _Maybe_, he grimaced, _she didn't hear me_.

"Lisbon!" He called again, louder than the first time. She didn't come running and he furrowed his covered brows. "Did I say something dirty to you last night? Is that why you're ignoring me?" No response. "If I did, you should know that it was the tequila speaking and not me. Hightower even agreed the last time." He received nothing again. "Lisbon! Don't make me demand your presence. We both know you don't like that." Silence was his answer and he sighed in irritation. Excellent first mate or not, Lisbon was exceptionally stubborn. "Lisbon! I demand that you make your presence known to me! I am your Captain!" He winced at the loudness of his own voice, before he decided on a completely different tactic to undercover the hiding spot of his sly (and very insubordinate) first mate. "Rigsby! Cho!

He didn't really expect anything to happen, because both men enjoyed sleeping in whenever they could, but the doors to his quarters opened right away.

"Captain." Rigsby greeted.

"Block the sunlight, will you?" He heard Rigsby move toward the set of windows, which sat directly behind his desk. The sunlight faded away almost immediately, and he felt safe enough to uncover his eyes and blink up into the sunlight shaded ceiling. "Excellent! How do I look, boys?"

"You look like hell, sir." Cho bluntly said. Rigsby chuckled, abet nervously.

"It's what happens after ten shots of tequila, Cho." Jane said, as he tried not to think _too _much into Rigsby's nervous chuckle. "I'd like to see if you could handle this any better." Cho and Rigsby said nothing; they didn't even laugh at his semi-challenge, which would have normally had both men arguing with him (or with each other). It was obvious, without even sparring either of them a glance, that he had done _something _in his drunken state and Lisbon was beyond pissed with him and his face. "What did I do to anger Lisbon last night?"

"Nothing, sir." Rigsby breathed.

Jane pushed himself off his king-sized bed and leisurely strolled over to eye Rigsby and Cho in contempt, who like him, remained dressed in the same outfits from the evening previous. "You're lying to me, Rigsby." He had always been able to tell when _any _of his crew had lied to him; Rigsby had an honest face, Cho had his eyes, Kris had her body language, Mashburn had his manner, and Lisbon's smiles had often told him more than anybody wanted him to know. It was amongst the many skills (besides his good looks and alcoholic tolerance) that made him the admirable pirate captain of the feared Scarlet Oasis. "Where's Lisbon, Cho?" Cho remained quiet. "Rigsby?"

Rigsby tapped his foot on the floor, before he shot a weary look at Cho. "Sir, we…" The door to his quarters opened again and he glanced beyond both of their shoulders in hopes to find the brunette first mate behind them all.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Lisbon. It was Kris.

Jane blinked at the only other woman currently on the crew, who looked as if she hadn't gotten _any _sleep; her medium-length brunette hair was wild, her hazel eyes were heavily lined and shadowed, and her body shook, although he couldn't tell if it was out of sickness or anger.

"We've had this conversation _many times_, Kris." Jane relayed with a smile. "If you want to enter my quarters, you should knock first."

Kris grimaced. "Lisbon's been kidnapped, I thought you might want to know." Jane lost his smile, and he didn't even notice Rigsby's glare toward Kris or Kris's snide comment back to the sneering pirate, as he gritted his teeth together and pinned the three with a cold stare.

"_Kidnapped_?" Jane repeated. "She's been _kidnapped_?" Kris briskly nodded. "By _who_?"

Kris glanced at Rigsby. "Well, you should tell him."

Rigsby shot her another glare. "Whatever happened to loyalty?"

"You let Lisbon be kidnapped!" Kris fired back and Cho took a slight step backwards, as Jane pulled himself to his full height and unsheathed his own sword, which rested at his side. In less than ten seconds, he had his sharp blade at Rigsby's unprotected throat. Rigsby, to the man's credit, didn't flinch, even as Jane applied more pressure.

"Give me five _good _reasons why I shouldn't behead you all _now_!" Jane roared in anger. It wasn't helping his head, but he wasn't about to bury his head in the sand while his first mate was in danger.

"This wasn't entirely our faults!" Rigsby cried, he tried to take a step backwards and Jane narrowed his eyes in return. "It was Mashburn's! He let Lisbon go!"

"You honestly can't expect me to believe that _Walter Mashburn_, of all people on my crew, would do anything to hurt Lisbon, do you?" Jane seethed; he refused to let up on the pressure of his sword and nobody said a word. "Do you?"

"Captain." Cho answered. Jane quickly glanced at him. "From what Mashburn told us earlier, he had no idea she was on orders from you to stay." Jane went still, while Kris took a hesitant step forward. "She went out on her own."

Jane knew it exceedingly rare for him to lose his own temper, but the thought of _someone _or _something _hurting his first mate sent him spiraling into a fine-tempered rage. Nobody hurt Lisbon and lived to tell about it, he would make sure of it! "Where the hell were you three, while she was out on her own?" He pinned Kris, Cho, and Rigsby with yet another solid glare, because he doubted Lisbon would have been _that _reckless to leave the ship on her own. The woman knew she had plenty of enemies just waiting to get their hands on her, so they could either taunt him or teach her a lesson.

"Babysitting you." Kris threw. If he had been calm enough and without headache, he could have handled her appropriate insult by sparring with her. This time though, he couldn't deal with her. Not without wanting to kill her, anyway.

"Now, you're blaming _me_?" Jane asked in a hiss. Kris fixed him with her own glare and pulled her arms across her chest, like Lisbon would have done. "Of course you would."

"You drank! You had to stop on Howl Island, because of your supposed legendary status!" Kris threw again. "Forgive me if it sounds like I'm blaming you, _Captain_."

Jane blinked at her backhanded disrespect, but didn't move his sword away from Rigsby's neck. "This doesn't concern you, Kris. Leave." He used his unoccupied hand to point her in the direction of the double doors.

"Just to let you know again," Kris stated, she took a few steps forward before she turned back with her fingers aimed on both Cho and Rigsby. Jane only hoped whatever she was about to say wouldn't be about him. "They saw O'Laughlin. I honestly have no idea who he is, but I figured you should know." Anger tinted his vision, as he exhaled sharply and both men stepped backwards. Kris bolted from the room. Jane took a step backwards to view Cho and Rigsby, his curved sword aimed between them both, shaking slightly from anger.

"Capt…" Rigsby began.

"Did you both see Craig O'Laughlin?" Jane interrupted.

"Yes, sir." Cho answered, briskly. "We didn't know it was him."

Jane's nostrils flared. "It doesn't matter! If you think it's him, you should have shot him!" Jane replied in a snarl. "No questions asked. No second guessing. There shouldn't have been a thought in your minds!" Both men kept various weapons on them at all times, and O'Laughlin had walked past them without even being _shot_? Had his entire crew not being listening to him when he had ordered that O'Laughlin be killed on sight? "You ignored _my_ specific orders, and now he has her!"

"We honestly don't know if he has her." Rigsby gave and Jane shot him another glare. If they had spotted O'Laughlin and Lisbon had been kidnapped, it didn't take much for anybody to connect the dots. "Sir."

"Either way, we have to do something." Cho responded.

"Obviously." Jane retorted. "And because you two put her _into _this predicament, you're both going to find a way to get her _out _of it." Cho glanced at Rigsby, who briefly glanced down at the wooden floor and moved his mouth briefly.

Jane ignored him and Cho spoke. "Sir, in all seriousness." Jane refocused his attention on Cho. "Our first move should be to find a _temporary _first mate while we find Lisbon."

"If we do," Jane said. "You two are not my first choices for temporary replacement." Both men nodded. "You're not even my _last _choice." Jane sighed and moved his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in response. He knew Cho had a valid point; Lisbon's job had to be temporarily, no matter how _bitter _and _angry _he was about it, given to someone else on the crew. The first mate had so many duties and he couldn't very well captain the ship, rescue Lisbon and do all her duties as well. "What are my options?" Jane moved to put away his sword, which had Rigsby heave a sigh in relief.

"Mashburn?" Rigsby hesitantly offered.

"No." Jane answered. Mashburn may have followed Lisbon around on the ship, but he knew the man wasn't following her for "job training". "All he'll do is talk about Kris and Lisbon all day. I could do without that right now. Next?" Jane also feared that he would smash his fist into Mashburn's face and as much as he hated to admit it, they needed Mashburn's money to continue on the ship.

"How about Ron?" Rigsby offered again.

"No, he should stay where he is." Jane said. Ron was the silent protector of the Scarlet Oasis, who had never caused any problems and had always kept them away from avoidable dangers. It was best that the man continue his trek in the crow's nest, for the man wasn't very sociable and he only seemed to listen to Lisbon. "I've never see a man so dedicated to standing with seagulls. Anybody else?" Rigsby shook his head.

"How about somebody random from the crew?"

Jane shook his head in response to Rigsby's question. "If I temporarily gave her position to just anybody, Lisbon would have my head." Lisbon wouldn't just have his head; she'd have every part of his dismembered body stuffed into her bloodstained trunk. "Cho?"

"There is one more person." Cho stated and Rigsby turned to stare at him.

"No." Rigsby argued. "No way in..."

"Rigsby, your opinion is rather worthless right now." Jane interrupted him with a sneer. "I don't trust you to have the right opinion." Jane stepped toward Cho. "Who?" Rigsby bated his breath.

"Kris." Cho replied. Jane cocked his eyebrows in surprise; he knew Cho didn't really care for Kris, one way or another but the suggestion that _she _take the temporary position surprised him. Nobody, besides Mashburn and Lisbon, had welcomed Kris with opened arms when the female had first joined the crew. "She's not just anybody."

"No, she's irritating." Rigsby retorted, as he moved to hold up his fingers to get his points across. "She's also irresponsible, rude, and a know-it-all."

"She's basically you, then?" Jane asked, sarcastically.

"She follows Lisbon around." Cho answered and Jane nodded. Kris _was _Lisbon's taller shadow. "If anybody knows how to do Lisbon's job, it's Kris."

"Captain, I warn that if you do this…" Rigsby paused at Jane's dark glare, but he continued on without much caution. "The entire crew will mutiny."

"Once again," Jane reminded, briskly. "You are _not _entitled to state your opinions right now." Rigsby closed his mouth. "Go and get her."

"But Captain…"

"Go!" Jane ordered. "Now, before I actually decide to punish you for your disobedience." Jane moved his hand back toward his sword, which sent Rigsby toward and out the set of doors to find Kris. He shook his head in frustration; could the man not see how aggravated he already was between the lingering hangover and the news that both men had apparently seen fit to hide from him?

Jane stepped past Cho and collapsed into one of the wooden chairs at the circular table, which sat in front of his desk. With Rigsby out of the room, Jane felt he could ask the question that continued to burn in his thoughts. "Do you think she's…?" He couldn't even manage to get the words out of his throat without imagining all the things O'Laughlin could have already done to Lisbon.

"Yeah, I do." Cho answered. Jane pulled his head from his hands to peek at his stoic sailing master in surprise. "He'll keep her alive, if only to make us assume the worse." Jane said nothing and Cho continued on. "Don't worry Captain, we'll find her."

"You had better hope so." Jane threw; pounding headache or not, he was still absolutely livid with rage. "If not, your heads will be propped up on my desk." Cho said nothing and Jane sighed again. "Rigsby has all these opinions on Kris. Am I supposed to assume that you have none at all, as you complimented her?"

Cho shrugged. "Kris is the most reasonable choice. It doesn't matter what I think."

"Good answer." Jane approved, with the nod of his head. "Would the crew really mutiny if Kris became first mate?"

"To be honest, sir." Cho replied. Jane nodded for him to continue. "The crew doesn't look too highly on you. Their opinions of you aren't going to dramatically change overnight, just because you've decided that Kris should be first mate for a little while." Jane knew that, though his crew respected him to a point that he could tolerate. "Even with Lisbon here, they weren't too fond of you."

"So, you don't think anything will _really _change around here?" Jane asked.

"No."

It was then, that somebody knocked on the outside of his quarter doors and Jane glanced toward his set of doors.

"Kris isn't going to agree with everything you say, Captain." Cho quickly informed him. "She also doesn't like you very much."

"Nobody likes me at first." Jane grinned, slightly. "I tend to grow on people."

"I'll say." Cho stated.

"Rigsby's never knocked before." Jane pointed out, with his complete attention back on the door. "This is a new form of higher respect for me."

"You've never threatened to kill us before, either." Cho retorted.

"Come in!" Jane called.

The set of doors swung open, as Kris stepped into the room with Rigsby on her heels. Kris had her hands pressed against her narrow hips, and she looked muchbetter than the last time he had seen her. The fact that she had taken the ample amount of time to throw herself back together, made him more relaxed. If Kris could pretend as if nothing was wrong, except for the tension that rolled off her body in waves, she would be the perfect temporary first mate.

Jane didn't glance at her. "Sit down, Kris."

"I expected to see Cho's head on your desk, Jane." Kris greeted with a smirk. "I have to say I'm a little disappointed. I was looking forward to some head rolling." Kris moved from her spot in front of Rigsby to take a seat across from Jane, before she leaned her elbows against the smooth tabletop to rest her chin on her knuckles.

"We need to talk." Jane informed her.

Kris continued to smirk. "I didn't realize we were dating, Jane. Don't tell me; it's not me, it's you…right?" Jane could hear the slight snicker in her tone and he rolled his eyes in response. Kris removed her elbow from the table, leaned back in her chair, and threw her boots atop the table. "What do you need, my dear Captain?" She asked her tone heavily sarcastic. Kris's lack of respect amused him more than anything else about her. "_However_, if it is of the sexual caliber…" She waved her fingers toward him. "I will admit that I'm highly flattered." She paused to flash him her white teeth in a cocky grin. "But, I don't think asking me to help you out after a breakup is very appropriate."

"It's not of a sexual _caliber_; it's more of a platonic one." Jane stated.

"I'm disappointed." Kris pouted, playfully. "I guess in front of Cho, though…we'll have to restrain ourselves." Jane chuckled. "Where are the chains?"

"You're very good at hiding your anxiety." Jane observed with a smile and Kris peered at him. "Your jokes are a way of masking how you truly feel."

"Who said I'm masking?"

"Who said you weren't?" Jane retorted.

"You take the fun out of everything." Kris huffed in irritation.

"You are also showing an amazing amount of restraint," Jane observed again, he glanced toward her displayed hands. "If it weren't for the wringing of your hands, I would have no idea that you were trying to keep from killing me." Jane watched in amusement as she shoved her hands under the table. "Don't be embarrassed, Kris. Everybody is easier to read than they think they are."

"Would you like me to shoot you?" Kris asked, almost sweetly. "I've got a wonderful aim, and a pistol loaded with six shots. You can ask Mashburn."

"No, I need you to do something." Jane replied with a small grin. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Rigsby staring at them both in surprise. "I'm only being nice to her, even though we have more issues than I have fingers, because she isn't to blame for what has happened. You two, however are still in hot water." Kris removed her feet from the table with a loud _thump _on the hardwood floor.

"If you three are just going to sit here and continue bitching like little girls," Kris spoke as she stood from her chair and started toward the door. "I guess I will be going." Jane waited until her fingers had skimmed the brass doorknob to address her again.

"I need you to be my temporary first mate." Kris paused with her hand on the doorknob and turned her head over her right shoulder to stare at him in bewilderment. "You _can _handle that, right?"

"What?" Kris asked in shock, through a mouthful of her unrestrained brunette hair. "We can barely get through a conversation without biting each other's heads off. Everything about me repulses you!" Jane shook his head in amusement, while Kris continued to sputter in disbelief. "Is this your way for me to die an early death? I hope you're kidding."

"I wish he was kidding, but he's not." Rigsby informed the room and Jane opened his mouth to respond, but Kris beat him to it.

"Who asked you, Rigsby?" Kris retorted. Jane chuckled in childish amusement; _this is more than amusing_, he thought, _this is almost therapeutic_. "The last time I checked, chickens that might have their heads cut off don't voice their opinion. So, I'd suggest you shut your big mouth, before I decide to cut out your tongue." Kris turned her entire body to face Jane, who continued to grin. "Just to piss off the big mouth, I will become temporary first mate and throw his body to the sharks."

"You do realize I wasn't offering, correct?" Jane asked. "You also don't get to kill _anybody _on this crew."

Kris shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I could do Lisbon's job blindfolded."

"Don't tempt me, Kris." Jane teased, lightly. "I've blindfolded people for much less."

"I'd like to see you try." Kris said, with her arms crossed against her chest. "It's not important, but what made you choose me?"

Jane offered her a grin and lied, for Kris didn't need a huge ego. "We're not a sexist ship."

"Could have fooled me." Kris retorted. "You've got Mashburn." Jane chuckled again; Kris was going to be a perfect temporary replacement! "If that's not enough proof for you, then I don't know what is." Jane glanced down at the left hand corner of his white shirt, before he quickly pulled out a tattered scroll from the pocket and spread it across the table; it was a map of the entire world, which he had taken from his father as a child. "What are you doing?"

"Haven't you ever seen a map before, Kris?" Jane questioned, without glancing up from the map. He heard her loud footsteps thud against the floor as he continued to study the map.

"I know what a map is, you idiot." Kris seethed. "I just want to know what you're _doing _with it."

"I'm beyond thrilled that you know what a map is, because I thought we'd have to teach you." Jane replied, as he trailed his fingers across the map and ignored her question. "We're going to find Lisbon by finding Red John." Rigsby groaned while Kris said nothing. Jane nearly frowned, he had almost expected for one of his crewmembers (Mashburn) to have told her about his past with the evil Pirate Captain Red John. "Kris?" He addressed her.

"What?"

"How much do you know about Red John?" Jane inquired.

"Not much. I just know he's a real nasty piece of work." Jane nodded, and he waited for her to ask the inevitable question. "Is there any reason why we're going after Red John? The last time I checked, we were looking for Lisbon."

Jane glanced up at her; this was information he hadn't even gotten around to tell Lisbon yet. "Craig O'Laughlin, after he betrayed me and my crew, became the first mate upon the Red Rum." Kris furrowed her dark eyebrows. "Has anybody told you _anything_?"

"No." Kris answered. "Then again, it's not like I exactly volunteer information either."

"If this is going to work, you need to know about Red John." Kris said nothing again. "We'll talk later, but the Red Rum is Red John's ship."

"Oh." Kris gave.

Jane refocused his eyes back on the map. "We need somewhere to start."

"Well," Kris said after a moment of silence. "I have an idea of where we should go next."

Without even glancing back up at her, he spoke. "What's your idea? I'm open to anything at this point."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I really don't own.

Thanks to Frogster, LizfromItaly, ShunKickShunkers, and piratemonkey06 for reviewing the last chapter!

I will _not _be updating a chapter next week, as I have decided that I will always write/post three chapters and then take a week off posting to get ahead. So, please enjoy this chapter! :)

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><p><strong>3—<strong>

"Jubilee Island, home of the drunkards." Rigsby said, as he leaned against the railing of the helm. Jane glanced at him from near Cho and nodded his head; Jubilee Island and he had always had a rather _tipsy _history, so he looked forward to his first sober visit ever. "Why would Red John come there with Lisbon? It's not even _that _nice of a spot."

"They have to refuel at some point." Cho gave. "Jubilee Island is the closest island to Cannibal Cove."

"You wouldn't go there unless you were drunk first, that's for certain." Jane stated, cheerfully. "Cannibal Cove has always been a pleasurable spot; after a few drinks, a couple of hookers…" he paused to flash them a giant smile. "It's a real nice place to visit if you're good friends with the governor." Cho briefly glanced up at him. "What? If you look past his rather grotesque eating habits, he's a pretty cool guy."

"What are the _other _reasons for this island?" Rigsby asked. Jane was rather amused by the change in subject. "Do you think the governor will remember the Red Rum?"

"It's nicknamed the drunkard island." Jane continued. "Do you _really _think anybody is going to remember a huge ship on this island?"

"The governor probably isn't drunk." Rigsby responded. "Somebody has to…"

"Jubilee has a governor?" Cho questioned.

"Technically, yes." Jane informed them both, though he only knew about the governor because his run-ins with the guy had always been interesting, to say the very least. "He doesn't run anything, though he pretends to run his island from an outhouse, and I'm _pretty _sure he goes head first into the red light district." Nobody said anything, but Jane caught Cho's small smile. "The last reason for visiting this island belongs to the first mate."

"How does she know?" Rigsby inquired with a groan and Jane eyed him. "I'm not asking in disrespect, sir. I'm legitimately serious."

"Well," Jane said. "You have to _seriously _ask her." Rigsby groaned again. "Even if I wanted to give you an answer, I couldn't. Kris is keeping me in the dark."

"You're the Captain. Don't you think you should know why?" Rigsby questioned again and Jane shrugged.

"I doubt us going to Jubilee Island is going to cause a mutiny, because I took the first mate's advice." Jane explained. "Besides, it's personal. I can't demand answers out of her."

"So, you can't demand answers out of us?" Rigsby asked.

Jane peered at him for a moment or so, with his arms crossed against his chest. Rigsby hadn't said much in the last few days, but the constant mixture between silent disrespect and loud respect was starting to grate on his nerves. "I can demand answers out of you both, because I'm your Captain and you have absolutely no say so on this ship." Jane paused to glance at them both. "If I asked you how many women you've slept with, you'll tell me. If I ask you if you've ever had sexual feelings toward any of the females on this ship, you'll tell me." Both men nodded and Jane continued on. "_If _I ask Kris how many men she's slept with, it's her choice to tell me…unless, we're either in battle or it's pertinent information."

"When is that ever pertinent information in battle?" Cho voiced.

"Yeah, could you give us a scenario or two where that's pertinent?" Rigsby teased and Jane glared at them both. "Is it the bloody battle of the exes?" Jane said nothing in response, before he turned on his boots and left them to their own disgusting imaginations about the first mate, and stood atop the main deck with his eyes trained on the other various members of the working crew. They had already been sailing toward Jubilee for nearly a week and he hadn't honestly caught sight of Kris more than twice. Lisbon had always been busy, but she had always managed to find the time to visit him. Kris, on the other hand, seemed to continuously stay busy to avoid him. It had also seemed that _every time _he heard Kris's voice, she was either screaming at somebody or giving out orders, which seemed to be more of her job than his.

Jane had a feeling that Kris was in the crew quarters and he decided he would visit her.

"…do you think I can pull money out of pants?" Jane heard the voice of Walter Mashburn ask, as he stepped into the crew quarters to find the both of them sitting on Kris's bed. "Because I assure you, out of _all _the objects I may or may not be able to pull from my pants, money is not one of them."

"I always thought you were a unic, but I guess not…" Kris responded. "Now, I'm slightly disturbed." Jane slowly approached them both.

"I'll give you money for a small favor, Kristina."

"I'm sure it's small." Jane chuckled, and Kris turned her entire body around to eye him. Mashburn shot off the bed to show Jane _some _respect.

"Kristina, huh?" Jane asked in a snicker. Kris sighed. "Is that your actual first name?"

"Don't _ever _call me that." Jane stepped back, because it didn't seem like a good idea to set Kris off.

"Walter did." Jane retorted.

"You have the worst timing, considering I was going to shove a sword up his…" Kris began, and Jane raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"As much as I'm sure Kris would love to give you that small favor." Jane interrupted her and Kris shuddered in response. "I need to speak to my first mate alone."

Mashburn glanced between both with an all-knowing smile, which meant what the man was about to say would not be good for him or his health, later on. "I'm sure, Patrick. I'm sure. Don't be _too _rough on our dear Kristina though." Mashburn shot him a wink, apparently completely oblivious to the fact that Kris had her eyes narrowed on him. "Her narrow hips, while good and sturdy are quite dangerous for nighttime, under the cover explorations of the curious and mysterious depths."

"Depths you'll _never _ever explore with me _or _another woman." Kris threw and Jane shook his head.

"I'd leave if I were you, Walter." Jane hinted and Mashburn grinned, while Kris went for her sword.

"Jealous, Patrick?" Mashburn questioned. "You can always join. I know your bed is large enough for at _least _six." Jane blanched; he didn't even _like _Kris that way. The female pirate was already a figurative pain in the ass, and he doubted she wanted to have a literal pain in the ass from him or anybody else on the crew.

"Leave!" Jane ordered and Mashburn gave them both a sly nod.

"Remember, Patrick." Mashburn said as he began to walk away from them in the empty crew quarters. "Hit her with your best shot." Kris continued for her weapon, but it was too late. Walter Mashburn had already left her and Jane alone.

"Thank you." Kris sarcastically stated. "He wouldn't leave me alone, and now…" she fixed him with a glare. "He won't _ever _leave me alone or stop calling me Kristina, so thanks." Jane grinned, while he took Mashburn's once occupied seat next to her on her cot. "After that, should you be sitting next to me? His freaky desire of a threesome might come true."

"I hate to sober this conversation." Jane responded and Kris rolled her eyes; he couldn't _help _but make jokes based off of Jubilee Island's status and he knew Kris knew that. "But the crew is curious on why we're going to Jubilee."

"I told you why." Kris answered in a sigh. "Do I need to say it again?"

"Meh." Jane playfully waved her off. "Something about the red light district and a male friend?"

"Leave that alone!" Kris snapped. "That's very personal and you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Only I know the whole truth." Jane frowned, as he tried to read her facial expressions, but he couldn't because she had schooled her features into a blank look.

"Well, you're going to need to face your demons if we're going to find Lisbon." Jane told her.

Kris glanced at him. "So will you."

Jane wanted to sigh; Kris had no idea that he had tried to face his demons every day for the past eight years.

"If you haven't faced yours, don't tell me to face mine. You know absolutely nothing about me." Her statement wasn't _completely _accurate; he knew her name, Kristina Ann Saffron. He knew she hated her last name and full first name, though he could only guess why. Probably something family-related or somebody close had done something unimaginable to her. He also knew she had various weapon skills, but not much else. As for what she knew about him, Jane guessed as he eyed her over, she probably didn't really care.

"My demons are much harder to kill when they're moving." Jane scowled.

"Either says something about your demons or you." Kris told. Jane didn't smile. "Your demons can't be _that _bad. Somebody always has it worse than you, look at Lisbon." The comparison probably didn't make either one of them happy, but he knew she had a point. He had tried _not _to think about Lisbon; it proved to be impossible though, because her lack of presence was extremely noticeable.

"Have you ever lost somebody?" Jane asked.

"Yes." In the silence of the dimly lit crew quarters, Jane waited for her to say something else. "Hasn't everyone?" Jane shrugged; he couldn't honestly speak for everyone.

"If you're going to be my first mate, you should know about my demons." Jane said.

"I always _loved_ sharing time." Kris offered sarcastically. "Do I get naptime afterwards?" Jane scowled in response, before he took a deep breath and began.

"I haven't always been a pirate. Eight years ago, I traveled with the circus." Jane paused and Kris snickered.

"It explains _so _much about you." Kris commented, dryly. Jane ignored her to glance away.

"I was also married; I had a beautiful daughter and wife. I loved them both dearly." He paused again; he could still remember having told Lisbon this story eight years ago, and how she had immediately tried to wean him off the idea of revenge. _I can't go anywhere with you_, she had said in a low whisper, _if you start talking crazy like that_. He had merely glanced back at her, and responded: _Crazy? You're crazy if you think you're going to stop me. Red John is mine. You try to stand in my way and you…I…you…you will regret it_. Lisbon had said nothing back. "My wife had been trying to persuade me to quit the circus, but we needed the money. I wanted the best for them both, and when we had enough, I didn't stop. I didn't listen." He had never listened to anybody but himself, truthfully. "The morning before I left for a show in the town over, my wife and I had an argument. I stormed out on her, on my daughter without saying goodbye." It still pained him that his last words to his wife had been said in the heat of the moment. "I came home the next evening to say I was sorry, and I found the lifeless bodies of my wife and child." When he closed his eyes, he could still see their bodies; lifeless and bloody on the floor before him. "Red John had come through the town, and killed my wife and child. He left his symbol on the wall above them; a simple smiley face drawn in blood, theirs." The scarlet image still haunted his every waking moment.

"I wanted revenge. I searched around for a crew, and I found the best and the brightest." Lisbon, Mashburn, Cho, and then Rigsby. "I won't tell you their stories. I won't tell you why or how they joined my crew, but we are close." It was impossible _not _to be close to them, especially after having sailed with them for eight years straight. "We've all come close to meeting Red John twice, but _every time_ we come close, something always happens to alter our course." Jane glanced back at Kris, his mouth dry and waited for her to say _something _in response to his story. Her silence, while a welcomed change, meant the woman had probably found yet another _mysterious _reason on why to hate him. She said nothing, before she left him sitting on her bed alone and he glanced up toward the wooden ceiling, shimmering with the gossamer spider webs. "I only hope I've made the right decision, Lisbon."

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><p>Lisbon tried to tug at the gritty cast iron bars that kept her from her freedom, when she heard the thud of footsteps from somewhere in the distance. She blinked into the inky darkness and pulled her hands off the bars to take a slight step backwards. She hadn't been conscious long, but she had somehow managed to steady herself within the darkness.<p>

O'Laughlin, if he had been the one to put her there, had stripped her bare of all the weapons she had possessed and had left her hands unbound. _Why? _She asked herself. _Why did he give me a chance to defend myself? _Though it didn't surprise her, up until the moment O'Laughlin had shot her and left using one of their escape boats filled full with pilfered items, he had been anything but cruel to her. Most of the crew probably would have argued the point with her, but O'Laughlin _had _been the perfect gentleman; he hadn't hit on her (sober or not), he hadn't laid a finger on her (sober or not), and their friendship had seemed completely genuine. Beyond that, she had never felt anything besides friendship for the pirate and now, if she had the chance, she'd have to kill him for betraying her, the crew, and most importantly, Jane.

The footsteps quieted, and the sound of a match being struck interrupted her from her thoughts to find O'Laughlin before her, a lit candle in his hands; his scruffy face had become clean and shaven, his clothing was less threadbare and worn, and the flickering candlelight from the waxy candle cupped between his red-stained hands allowed for her to examine her surroundings (if she dared to so, even with O'Laughlin standing before her.)

"You can look around, Teresa." O'Laughlin informed her with a soft chuckle. "I wouldn't dare lay a finger on you, especially if your back was turned to me." Lisbon eyed him warily, and he un-cupped one of his hands from around the candle to point behind her. She didn't turn, and instead her eyes searched his body for any weapons; his sword was missing, his pistol (if he had one now) wasn't hanging in plain sight, and the stains on his hands didn't seem freshly left. "You should take the advantage of the light, while you still have it."

"I don't trust you." Lisbon spat. O'Laughlin chuckled again and shook his head in response. "I don't take you at your word, O'Laughlin."

"Whatever happened to pleasantries, Teresa?" O'Laughlin questioned. Lisbon gritted her teeth; what did he hope to accomplish by treating her like _anything _but his prisoner? "I seem to remember a time when you called me Craig." She said nothing, and he continued on. "You still don't want to look around?" She did, if only to see what she could use to escape from her prison, but her death was bound to happen if she dared to turn. "I'm sure you've noticed I have no weapons and the key to your home away from home has been securely placed away."

"Where am I?" Lisbon asked hastily; she refused to indulge O'Laughlin any further.

O'Laughlin curled his lips into a slight smile. "Ah, how rude of me!" He briefly tipped his head in greeting. "First Mate Lisbon, welcome aboard the Red Rum. I will be your host for the duration of your stay, First Mate Craig O'Laughlin." Lisbon couldn't help but stare at him in mute surprise. The Red Rum was Red John's ship, which meant that O'Laughlin worked for the bastard, who had murdered Jane's wife and child out of pure spite. O'Laughlin said nothing, as he bent down feet away from her, and placed the candle stub on the floor. "I will be back; you need food." She numbly watched the man walk away, before she turned to explore her prison and her thoughts.

The prison O'Laughlin had placed her in was small; the floor was covered in dirt, the front was made of pure cast iron bars, while the rest of her small prison was made out of wood without windows, and upon the back wall, sat a tarnished set of chains and manacles that made her shiver slightly. In one corner of the cell remained a silver bucket and the other side, rested a threadbare light blue blanket on the ground.

Lisbon turned to face the candle again with a frown; she could barely move within her prison and for whatever reason, Jane hadn't told her about O'Laughlin being the first mate for Red John. Had Jane found some reason not to trust her? Usually Jane told her _everything _that related to or around Red John, but the fact that he hadn't told her about O'Laughlin stung. Just because she had made a grave mistake in judgment, didn't mean she was untrustworthy.

She took a sharp exhale through her mouth and her stomach churned. Had Rigsby and Cho known before her? She couldn't imagine why either male would know pertinent information before her, but if Jane felt he couldn't trust her anymore…she shook her head; those thoughts were extremely dangerous to doddle in. Lisbon brought her head up from the floor to find O'Laughlin, with his own eyes trained on her.

"I brought you food." O'Laughlin greeted, as he pointed back down at the floor. She snuck a glance at whatever he had brought her, which turned out to be a piece of what looked to be green bread and a small green canteen, with a slight grimace.

"I'm not hungry." Her thoughts had stolen her appetite from her.

O'Laughlin frowned. "You should eat. You need your strength." Lisbon said nothing. "No? Fine then, suit yourself." O'Laughlin bent down to pick up the still burning candle and left without another word.

Lisbon found herself in the darkness again and she closed her eyes, while she used her fingers to feel around for the sidewall of her prison, before she slid down to the floor.

She didn't move until O'Laughlin visited her again.

Lisbon stared down at her feet; the small of her back pressed up against the chilled sidewall, her feet stretched out to touch the opposite wall, as she heard the sound of familiar footsteps again. She didn't glance up, she didn't move, as the room stilled once more before she heard the almost familiar sound of a match being struck. Logically, she knew it hadn't been _that_ long since O'Laughlin had last visited, but the darkness played tricks. She had no idea what day it was, how long she had been there, or if the person standing before her in the darkness was a friend or foe. However, as soon as the dim candlelight brought her from the darkness and stung at her eyes, she noticed that O'Laughlin was in front of her prison.

The candle was shifted to the ground and O'Laughlin tossed the old piece of dirt-crested bread and the silver canteen into her little area, which she ignored with another grimace.

"You still aren't hungry, Teresa?" O'Laughlin asked with a gentle frown. He almost sounded as if he actually _cared_ about her wellbeing and health, but she knew the truth. She said nothing, though truthfully, she was beyond hungry. The last time she had eaten, she and Kris had shared the last bits and pieces of fruit from a farmer's market that they both had visited while on Crest Island and her stomach, she was sure O'Laughlin could hear from a distance away. "You must be coming down with something." She said nothing again and glanced away from him. "Or..." Lisbon didn't move a muscle. O'Laughlin wasn't going to get any reaction from her, what-so-ever. "Something has you beyond troubled. Hm. If you told me, maybe I could help you with it."

Lisbon turned to glance back at him. "It's none of your business."

O'Laughlin chuckled softly. "I apologize for being obtrusive."

"Yeah, right." Lisbon darkly muttered and O'Laughlin raised his eyebrows in response.

"Oh come now," O'Laughlin continued. "I only want to help. How often have you heard that?" Lisbon narrowed her eyes. O'Laughlin only wanted something to use against her.

"I'm not telling you anything, O'Laughlin."

"You don't have to tell me anything, Teresa." O'Laughlin replied, his voice soft and steady within the still room. "I think I'll just guess. I've been told I'm pretty good at guessing games."

Lisbon pursed her lips; she wouldn't give O'Laughlin the satisfaction of reacting to his petty guesses. She kept her face passive, and her eyes on O'Laughlin has he began to pace back and forth, his hand pressed against his chin.

"Is it because you're on Red John's ship?" Lisbon made no movement; she had always known that somebody from the Scarlet Oasis was going to end up on the Red Rum eventually. O'Laughlin continued. "Is it because I'm the first mate?" Lisbon made no movement again, though the idea that _anybody_ (Red John included) had made O'Laughlin a first mate made her skin crawl. How could you trust somebody like him to keep your life safe? O'Laughlin paused in his pacing and stared at her for a moment or so, before he spoke again. "Is it because your captain didn't tell you?"

Lisbon fought against her urge to frown; the very fact that Jane hadn't told her anything about O'Laughlin had weighed heavily in her thoughts from the time O'Laughlin had left, and it still weighed heavily in her thoughts upon his return to her. Why did everybody assume that she was untrustworthy because she had allowed for O'Laughlin to join their crew? It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Jane should have told her. Jane had absolutely no right hiding things from her!

O'Laughlin said nothing to her, as he bent down, recollected his candle from the ground, and left


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **Ha, no.

Thanks to ShunKickShunKers, LizfromItaly, Frogster, and SteeleSimz for the lovely reviews! I seriously appreciate them all!

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><p><strong>4—<strong>

From the lower decks, Kris stepped into the bright sunshine to join Jane and the rest of his crew on the main deck. She kept her attention away from Jane, as she stepped to stand behind Cho and Rigsby to listen to him; Jane's mouth moved, the crew seemed somewhat interested (although, she was pretty sure that the crew was more interested in getting off the ship than listening to him), and her eyes continued to focus on the brim of the dark hat perched atop her head.

Jane and she hadn't shared more than three words since he had told his harrowing story a week prior, which had been more than fine with her. The idiot had practically caused the death of his own family and the story had brought back dark memories of her own father. Kris loathed her father leaving, but unlike Jane, he had always returned.

"…don't get too hammered while you're here." Jane lectured the crew and Kris rolled her eyes. _Like they'll listen to you_, she thought in annoyance. "Lisbon is priority, unless you want Kris to remain first mate forever."

Kris narrowed her eyes and thought, _what an asshole_.

"Okay men," Jane continued to address them. "You have your jobs, I have mine. Go to it." The entire crew sans Jane, Mashburn, Rigsby, Cho and herself dispersed.

Mashburn grinned brightly as he caught sight of her. "I like the spiffy hat, Kristina." Kris shook her head; the point of convincing him not to call her Kristina was pointless and time consuming.

"It looks better on me than it would on you."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Mashburn responded, as he stepped forward to grab her hat.

"If you touch my hat, you will find yourself without a hand." Kris threatened. Mashburn stepped back slowly. "Good idea."

"Where did you even find that?" Rigsby asked with his attention on her hat.

"A friend gave it to me. I don't wear it often." Kris informed him, and it was true. The pirate hat on her head was only worn during special occasions, and returning back to Jubilee Island was a "special occasion". Jane took one look at her hat and laughed. "What are you laughing at?" Her bad mood was back and the pirate hat wasn't going to save Jane's ass.

"The ridiculous thing on your head." Kris ignored him, because she knew she looked good. Friends had often told her she looked cute in it, and Jane had no right to tell her what was ridiculous, considering he probably had his own captain hat tucked away somewhere.

"I'd like to see you wear this better." Kris answered and he offered her a light grin.

"If I could find mine, I would show you." Jane stated. "I think Lisbon has it hid or something."

"With good reason, probably." Kris shot back. "Also, Lisbon liked my hat." Jane said nothing else, which made Kris turn to stare toward the approaching docks of Jubilee Island.

"So," Rigsby broke the silence. "Why are we here? Jane wouldn't give me an answer."

"Are you shocked he wouldn't give you an answer?" Kris said. "Is this news to anybody?" Mashburn chuckled from his spot next to Jane. "Would you also be shocked if I refused to answer?"

"It's pertinent information." Cho stated.

"It's not pertinent unless we find Lisbon, or we find something that points us to her." Jane answered for her, and she bit her tongue; she could answer for herself!

"Thank you, _Dad_." Kris sarcastically offered. "I can answer for myself. I'm not a child."

"I sometimes beg to differ." Rigsby muttered.

Kris turned to face him. "I wasn't kidding about cutting out your tongue." He closed his mouth and she refocused her attention on the docks. "I've been here before." Kris offered to the group next to her, as she scanned the yellow-stained docks for any sign of life. "That's all you need to know."

Eventually, all four of them walked off the ship and onto the nearly green-bare island. It was exactly as she had remembered; the dirt path colored with green was littered with used cigarettes, condoms, and beer bottles, while drunken men remained in boneless heaps every so often along the pathway, surrounded by frolicking goats and pecking chickens. Kris knew that most of the collapsed drunkards remained on the island all year round, mainly because none of them had anything better to do. She only knew two people on Jubilee and one of them was somebody she didn't expect to ever run into on the island. The other, a party animal however, was possible for the girl enjoyed running all over the island.

The four continued to walk along the filthy road when she noticed that she was slightly ahead of the boys, which made her slow down so they could catch up to her.

"Why are you walking so fast?" Rigsby inquired from behind her.

"I told you," she replied in frustration. "I've been here before; I obviously know where I'm going."

"Most people who come here are either drunk or planning to drink." Jane pointed out. "Were you sober when you stepped onto this island?" Kris raised her eyebrow, though he wouldn't be able to see it; she thought he might have been on the island before, but his question proved that he had never stepped onto any island completely sober until just then.

"Yes, Jane. I was." Kris gave with a heavy sigh. "I know this may come as a shock to you, but I didn't come here just to drink." _No_, she thought, bitterly, _I came here to get away_.

Before she even had a chance to lament any further, Jane spoke again. "Why did you come here?"

"It's none of your business." She snapped in anger, before she rolled her eyes. Playing twenty questions with people she didn't care about in the first place seriously annoyed her.

"Kris!" Kris thought Jane had called out to her, but then she realized that it hadn't been Jane calling out to her; she could tell, because the voice didn't actually irritate her ears, which made her pause and listen.

Rigsby, irritated, asked. "What is it now?"

"Shush." Kris ordered and she pressed one of her fingers to her lips.

"Kris!" She heard the voice again. Kris spun on her heels and pushed past Jane and Cho to find a tall, long legged blonde, who wore a tight, form-fitting black dress with a matching set of heels. The blonde waved and began to run in the direction of their little group from a distance. _Wow_, Kris thought, _that girl can sure run in heels_. The girl caught up to her and the boys with a large smile, as she threw her bare arms around Kris's neck.

"Hi Mel!" The blonde's real name had been Amelia, but Kris had always called her Mel. Mel had also been the one to bestow the nickname of Kris upon her. She broke away from her friend with a smile; it was nice to find someone who didn't want to insult her every time she walked into the room.

Mel leaned into her and whispered. "Kris! Who are those attractive men behind you? Can I have them?"

Kris turned her head over her shoulder to eye Jane, Rigsby and Cho. "There are attractive men behind me?" She refocused her attention back on Mel, who continued to grin. "If you want them, you can…because I'm still trying to figure out where they are." Mel chuckled, softly. Mel had always been the silver lining to her first two months of living on Jubilee Island.

"Despite our differences in what is and what is not attractive." Mel said. "Who are they?"

Kris turned on her heels again and wrapped her thin arm around Mel's bare shoulders. "The tall one is Rigsby." Rigsby grunted in greeting. "The continuously drunkard blonde is play pretend Captain Patrick Jane." Jane raised his eyebrow, which made Kris smirk in return. "And the last one is Cho." Cho made no movement to greet her.

Mel snickered, before she greeted them all. "Nice to meet you! I'm Mel." All three nodded politely. "You three must be pirates. Is Kris on your crew?" Jane nodded. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Kris blanched, as did Jane. "Jane? My _boyfriend_? How much have you been drinking?" Kris leaned into sniff at her friend's breath, which held a slight scent of rum. "No way in…"

"Maybe someday." Jane replied and Kris narrowed her eyes. Her and Jane? There was no way in hell! Quickly, she pinched Mel's forearm in embarrassment. "Now, don't be rough honey."

"I'm going to shoot you." Kris threatened.

"What did I do?" Mel whined. Kris glanced at her. "Patrick just reminds me a lot of…" Kris pinched her again; Mel was a lovely person, but she had one of the largest mouths. None of the crew (besides for Lisbon) knew of her past and she preferred it that way. "Okay then, you don't want to talk about…"

"How have you been Mel?" Kris questioned in irritation. Mel beamed brightly.

"Good!" Mel answered. "I've met a few guys and I'm not married yet!"

Kris laughed. Mel had never, like her, looked forward to marriage with any guy—arranged or otherwise, which made Kris somewhat happier about returning to Jubilee Island.

"Anybody attractive?" Kris asked; her attention focused on Mel again, as they turned to face each other. Kris had a somewhat perfect view of the crew beyond Mel's right shoulder. Although Mel had a large mouth, the girl would only tell stories of dire importance and Kris hoped Mel would have seen (or been with) O'Laughlin to at least give them something to start with.

"Besides the three attractive men behind me?" Mel whispered. Kris rolled her eyes, as Mel tossed her head over her shoulder and threw Rigsby a flirty smile, which only made Kris laugh in disbelief. Rigsby was attractive, but the man just wasn't her cup of tea.

"Not them, Mel. You don't want to inflate their egos even more, honey." Mel rolled her own eyes, while she glanced at Kris again. "Tell me about these attractive men."

Mel continued to grin. "Well, I was at the Ruby Bar, drinking one night last month."

"Of course you were." Kris commented. "After all, what else is there to do around here? Bait the governor?"

"There's a governor?" Mel responded. Kris heard Jane stifle a laugh and she tossed him another glare. "Anyway, I met a man hotter than those three."

"Well, anybody is hotter than those three." Kris said. "Though, you should elaborate."

"Okay." Mel agreed. "I was sitting at the bar; I had two men around me and we were enjoying ourselves when I suddenly turned around." Kris nodded. "I looked over to find this tall, well-built, brunette man who wore all black in the doorway." Kris briefly glanced over toward Jane to find that the man was paying rapid attention to their conversation. "He sat down; I went over and made a move on him. He didn't return my moves, he was quiet." Kris nodded again. Some stranger dressed in all black, and who didn't hit on an attractive woman seemed like an awfully suspicious fellow.

"Did this man tell you what he did for a living?" Kris inquired.

Mel nodded. "He said he was on a ship. I think he said he was the Captain, and the ship had something Red in it." Kris knew without a doubt that her friend had come into contact with O'Laughlin, and from Jane's face, he knew it also. "I don't really remember though. I was so far gone."

"Did he give you a name?" Kris pressed again and Mel bit her lip. "Come on, Mel. It's important."

"It started with a C, I think."

"Cody?" Kris asked. Mel shook her head. "Carl?" Mel shook her head again. "Craig?" Mel nodded.

"Craig! That's it!" Mel exclaimed. "He also reminded me of James!" Kris narrowed her eyes on her friend; O'Laughlin (from what she knew about the coward) and James weren't anything alike. O'Laughlin kidnapped people and James had always been there to save her. O'Laughlin and she would have never dated, James and she on the other hand, had. "…how long are you going to be…?" Kris pinched her again; nobody needed to know about James. "Did you ever get a chance to answer him after he…?" Kris hurriedly slapped her hand over her friend's mouth.

"No, Mel. I didn't." Kris responded, harshly. "I didn't have time. He already left and I was with somebody else." _Not by choice_, she added in her own thoughts. "You, of all people, should know that I never had the chance to do so."

"Kris," Mel returned, sternly. Kris stared at her friend in mute surprise; Mel didn't get cross very often, but it happened. "I haven't seen or talked to you in months! How would I know whether you answered his proposal? You two were always planning, plotting, and causing trouble back home."

"We were just close, Mel." Kris explained; she didn't want the men to know any of this, though Mel probably thought they knew it all. "It's over now. Can we please just talk about someone else?"

"If it helps," Mel continued. "I didn't think he was over you."

"Well," Kris threw. "At least he has a hobby."

"Kris, come on." Mel shot back. Kris didn't look at her or the boys for she had no desire to burst into tears, especially not about something and someone who hadn't lasted. Mel put her hand on one of Kris's shoulders. "Sweetie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's okay." Kris answered.

"I'll make it up to you." Mel replied. "Let's go out. I'm sure you aren't leaving right away." Kris slowly nodded; she would be able to get more information out of Mel and see if anybody else had remembered seeing O'Laughlin for the night.

"All right. I'll meet you at your place soon. I have to talk to them first, as I'm monitored like a hawk." Kris also wanted to shake Cho, because Jane had ordered the man to trail her.

Mel smiled with a nod and headed in the direction of her home, before Kris stepped closer to her current nightmares to address them. "O'Laughlin was here." She tried to ignore Rigsby's surprised expression, by keeping her eyes completely focused on the blank faced Jane.

"Obviously." Jane answered, dryly. Kris eyed him, somewhat thankful that he hadn't tried to pry into her business. "I was hoping for more concrete information though."

"We came here." Kris responded in annoyance. "Look around!" She threw her arms up in the air. "Who are you going to ask for more information? Chompy the goat?" She paused to jerk her thumb in the direction of the frolicking goat, who seemed content enough to eat the grass near Rigsby's feet. "Aw, Rigsby. Goat love; pure, simple, and innocent." Rigsby glared, before he moved to shoo the goat away. The goat merely ignored him. "Don't shoo your wife away! That's goat abuse." The comedy wasn't exactly doing much, but it was making her feel somewhat better.

"I'll ask the governor for more information." Jane answered, Kris nodded. "O'Laughlin came here before kidnapping Lisbon."

"Yeah," Cho agreed. Kris chuckled; Cho had a way with words.

"Well, while you three are off having fun with the governor. I'll be talking to patrons at the Ruby Bar." Kris turned on her heels, only for Jane to grab her shoulder. She hurriedly slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" She ordered with her eyes back on him.

"You were engaged?" Rigsby asked and Kris eyed him. "Who would…?"

"If you finish that sentence," Kris threatened. "You will find yourself food to your goat wife!" She narrowed her eyes again; Rigsby had absolutely no right to ask personal questions or to make assumptions. _Honestly_, Kris thought with a scowl, _just because I'm not a people's person doesn't mean I don't have a heart_. "It's really none of your business, but I never answered him."

"Why not?" Rigsby questioned again, obviously not taking the hint to shut up.

"It's complicated, okay?" Kris snapped. "Mel shouldn't have even opened her mouth, but she thought you three knew; Jane being my boyfriend and all." She blanched again and Jane pulled a slight face. "Anymore pointless questions not about O'Laughlin?"

"Yes, I have one!" Jane stated. Kris gritted her teeth, so much for him not prying. "Why did it end?"

"Because it just did." If Jane thought for one moment he was getting something out of her; he was an idiot. "This conversation is over." Kris spun on her heels for the second time and left them to find a friendly face and some hard liquor, without the accompaniment of Cho.

* * *

><p>It was the most he and Kris had spoken all week, Jane decided, as he followed Cho and Rigsby up toward the governor's abode. Neither male said anything, but he briefly wondered if they were also trying to piece together the words from the evasive first mate. Kris had obviously almost been engaged once, and he thought maybe her reaction to his story, had something to do with that and her mysterious James.<p>

During her conversation with Mel, he had watched her body language closely; he could tell from her shaking hands, her pale face, the slight tremor in her lips, and her almost tears that something about James or the almost engagement still upset her. He didn't know the full story, of course, but he could deduce that something good hadn't happened in the relationship. Jane stopped that trail of thought, as they stood before the governor's house, because he knew that if he tried to prod further, Kris wouldn't be too thrilled with him.

"Are you sure you should be knocking, Captain?" Rigsby asked lowly, as Jane held his hand inches from the wooden door of the Governor's small hovel. Jane glanced to Rigsby for further clarification on why he shouldn't announce their presence; the governor, probably like everybody else on the island, was rather harmless. "Haven't you run into him before?"

Jane nodded. "I think so. Governor Something Something." Or so he thought. It had been at least three years since his last visit to the island, and in that time, it was completely possible that the governor had died (or been killed off, considering the amount of wayward pirates that approached the island with diabolical plans.)

"Did you call him that?" Rigsby questioned. Jane nodded again. Governor Something Something had been a complete idiot, and he had rarely ever had the time to tuck the names of idiots away within his memory palace.

"He's going to kill you." Cho predicted. Jane beamed.

"Not if we kill him first!" Jane replied and both Rigsby plus Cho eyed him, which prompted him to chuckle at their semi-perplexed expressions. "I'm just kidding!" They continued to eye him. "Or am I? There's no way I can ever tell." Cho shook his head. Neither man could probably figure out his odd perchance toward humor, especially with Lisbon having been gone and Kris being a general pain in the ass, but it kept him completely focused on the task ahead. "Shall we go anger a glorified governor with questions, men?"

"If you die, Lisbon will kill us." Cho stated, and Jane knocked on the door. He honestly doubted Lisbon would kill them if they brought her back alive, but he wasn't about to tell Cho that.

Jane stepped back from the door to wait. "If I didn't knock, we'd be here all day."

"One of us would have knocked." Rigsby commented. "You've made more than enough enemies around here." Jane quickly glanced around in the enclosed area to find only himself, Rigsby and Cho. "Not here here, but on this island." Jane opened his mouth to respond, only for the wooden door to shoot open and reveal a dark short-haired, young-faced governor, who held a half-empty bottle of rum in his grungy hands.

The so-called governor's eyes were completely bloodshot and his clothes, wrinkled and stained, smelled faintly of smoke and alcohol. Jane doubted he was married, or had much of a personal life outside of the humdrum of drinking himself into a coma.

"Who's there?" The governor slurred, as he squinted his eyes. "You aren't another resident with a pregnancy problem are you?" He sighed and Jane found the slightly tipsy governor would be fun to rile up. "If you are, please understand that I'm not the father…" Jane chuckled and the man flinched.

"Considering we're men, it's highly unlikely. Governor…" Jane paused to see if the man would offer up his name, considering calling him Governor Drunk probably wouldn't get them very far. Even though, Jane noted with interest, the man didn't seem lucid enough to really care what he was called.

"Governor Luther Wainwright." Wainwright introduced himself. Jane raised his eyebrow in response; the name Wainwright seemed awfully familiar. It wasn't until after the man had shifted on one foot to goofily smile at them, that Jane realized exactly where he had remembered the name from. Luther Wainwright had been the idiot, who had thought he could get a pair of seagulls drunk. The idea that Wainwright could even hold himself upright, let alone manage an island by himself, sent Jane into a fit of internal laughter.

"What happened to the old governor?" Jane questioned, and Wainwright frowned in response.

"He died of alcohol poisoning 'bout two years ago." Wainwright informed them. "I've been the governor ever since."

"Ah." Jane returned.

Wainwright blinked. "So, what can I help you with tah-day?" His words were obviously slurred.

"We need information." Cho replied and Wainwright glanced over in his direction. "Do you remember seeing the Red Rum last month?"

Wainwright lifted the bottle in his hands. "This is the only red rum I know, boys. Would you like one?"

"Su…" Jane started, before Rigsby elbowed him sharply.

"Sir," Rigsby turned to mutter into his ear, as Wainwright spoke to Cho about his bottle of red rum. "Is it really wise getting drunk with the governor?" Jane grinned. Getting drunk with Wainwright, while fun, would have been a bad idea; the man seemed like he was one swig away from passing out, but it didn't mean he couldn't think about joining the man.

"Maybe next time." Jane responded. Wainwright sighed heavily. "We're in a hurry."

"That's what my secretary said." Wainwright replied and Jane blinked; Wainwright was either being completely serious or he was so far gone, he was just sprouting stories. "She's gone now." He threw his head up toward the sky and took a swig from his bottle. "Rest in peace, Pepper." Jane doubted that this "Pepper" was the name of the secretary, but he wasn't about to ask him for further information.

"How did it happen?" Rigsby asked. Wainwright frowned again.

"It was an accident." Wainwright said. "I stepped on her."

"You stepped on your secretary?" Cho questioned and Wainwright eyed him in surprise.

"I didn't step on my secretary!" Wainwright clarified. "She just up and left me!" Jane rolled his eyes; Wainwright was drunker than a skunk, could they not see that?

"You said she was gone." Rigsby pointed out.

"Pepper is…was…my pet cockroach." Wainwright responded.

"Governor," Jane stated in a snicker. "You're drunk, and all we want to know is about Red John."

Almost immediately, Wainwright sobered with a gasp. "How dare you come here and mention that…!"

"Drunk?" Jane innocently guessed; he knew what word the governor had a problem with, considering that nobody enjoyed calling Red John by his name. Wainwright shook his head with a scowl. "Know?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

"Red John?" Jane gave and Wainwright flinched. "So, are you actually drunk or do you merely play this game to impregnate women with your three inch sword?" Wainwright blinked again and Jane frowned; his ill-tempered joke had sounded like something Kris (or Mashburn, depending on the day) would have said.

"What?" Wainwright slurred again.

"He's drunk." Rigsby decided. Jane didn't deny it, but Wainwright obviously knew something from the way he continued to pat at the bright blue jacket he wore.

"I'm sorry for your losses." Jane pretended to console, as he moved into hug Wainwright. He didn't appreciate the smell of the man, but he needed whatever the man had tucked into his pocket. The governor stiffened at the contact, but allowed for Jane to awkwardly hug him.

They stayed together for a few seconds, until Jane pulled away.

"Thanks for the information, Governor." Jane told him. Wainwright nodded. "I hope you find a new pet and secretary soon." Wainwright turned on his heels and Jane turned to face his crew, as the door to Wainwright's home closed. Cho and Rigsby stared at him, while he smiled brightly in their direction.

"What did you do?" Cho asked.

"Why do you assume I did anything, Cho?" Jane returned.

"You're you." Rigsby nodded in agreement with Cho's statement.

"I might have pickpocketed Wainwright," Jane informed them, to which Cho stared. "He was hiding something related to Red John, so I took it." He moved to pull out the folded piece of paper stored in Wainwright's pocket, before he quickly opened it and read it to himself.

_Dear old friend, _

_I hope this letter finds you and Pepper well. I currently am enjoying my Sunday brunch with my companions, which was brought to us by our dear friend, Captain Red John. I shouldn't say too much about the meal, but our entrée is a female, who is quite muscular. Easily, she will feed around thirteen of my people. _

_By the way, I have heard rumors that the Scarlet Oasis is nearing your docks. If you should see Captain Patrick Jane and his lovely crew skulking on your island, give them my best regards and tell Patrick that he should come visit me very soon._

_Best wishes, _

_Bret Stiles_

Jane glanced up from the letter and frowned; Bret Stiles was the Governor of Cannibal Cove.

"I know where we're going next," Jane declared, as he handed the letter over to Cho. Cho quickly scanned the letter, before he passed it off to Rigsby. "Cannibal Cove, boys!"

"Some would call this torture." Rigsby muttered.

"And others would call this adventure!" Jane stated with a grin. "Besides, Bret Stiles loves us."

"He wants to eat us." Cho said.

"Meh." Jane waved him off. "He just wants some normal friends."

"We're normal?" Rigsby asked. "We're pirates. We have Kris. We're not normal." Jane chuckled in agreement; he absolutely loved being a pirate, even though he only was doing it to catch Red John.

"Speaking of Kris," Jane changed the subject. "Where do you think she is?"

"She's probably off drinking." Cho stated. "We're on Jubilee. What else is she supposed to do?"

"She's supposed to be getting us information." Jane answered.

"She did." Cho commented. "Besides, who wouldn't give information to an attractive woman?" Cho had a point…not that Kris was attractive, or anything like that. "She's the first mate. Trust her." Cho and Rigsby started the decent back to the ship and he followed close behind.

Jane couldn't trust Kris; she had come onto the crew a month after O'Laughlin had betrayed them. It had absolutely nothing to do with her, as it all had to do with the shoddy timing of her arrival. However, he knew that she didn't trust him either. Both of them had been forced together, and thinking about it, reminded him of something Lisbon had said.

_"One day_," Lisbon responded. _"You may need her_."

He had scoffed then, but things were different now.

If Lisbon wasn't found alive, Kris would remain the first mate. He would have to learn to trust her, because he would have absolutely no choice. The thought of losing Lisbon was beyond painful, but he had to be realistic. Kris could do her job; he wouldn't deny that, no matter how much she annoyed him and vice versa. Ultimately though, if they had anything in common, it was to find Lisbon alive.

Once back on the ship, Jane decided to turn in early; he'd worry about Kris in the morning.

"Where's Kris?" Jane asked Rigsby, after he had stumbled from his quarters after a long (much needed) sleep in. Rigsby shrugged, his own eyes focused on the map attached to the helm table.

"Haven't seen her." Rigsby responded and Jane moved to pinch the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to send anybody to find her, but if she had been killed (or worse, kidnapped) they needed to find her. "Want me to gather the crew?"

"Yes." Jane replied. Rigsby went to corral up the crew, who probably were all hanging in the crew mess for their morning meal. Jane glanced out toward Jubilee Island with a dark frown; the island hadn't given them much to go off of and Red John's trail was growing cold again. It was almost common knowledge that Red John dumped his murder victims on Cannibal Cove, which sent a chill down his spine.

He had absolutely noproblems with Bret Stiles, but he had his problems with how Stiles had described his latest "meal" within the letter. Lisbon was both female and muscular, and though Jane knew the letter hadn't exactly spelled out the victim was Lisbon, he feared that Red John could have killed and dropped her body on the island for Stiles and his so-called "companions" to enjoy.

Would Red John really have made it that easy though? Jane doubted it. Red John hadn't killed his wife and child "slowly" and because Lisbon had always been his closest friend, Red John wouldn't make her death "easy"; her death, he felt, would be long and drawn out.

"Captain," Rigsby interrupted his thoughts and Jane shook his head slightly; he'd think about it later. "The crew is waiting your instructions." Jane said nothing, as he hurriedly stepped down the stairs and glanced out into his large crew.

"Did you find Teresa?" Mashburn, who hadn't stepped off the boat with them, called from the back. Jane raised both of his eyebrows to take the extravagant, rhinestone wearing financial advisor in.

"Does it look like we found Lisbon, Walter?" Jane asked. Mashburn slowly glanced around, before he shook his head. "We seem to be missing our temporary first mate…"

"You lost Kristina?" Mashburn questioned. "You have the worst track records with your first mates, Patrick."

"I didn't lose her, per say." Jane answered, because he honestly hadn't. "However, we need to leave this island today."

"Why, Captain?" Somebody else called from the back. "I haven't gotten the chance to explore the good ole' bars yet!"

"You'll have plenty of time to explore the good ole' bars when you're dead." Jane fired back. "Till then, I call the shots. We're leaving for Cannibal Cove and…" the entire crew grew completely silent and Jane glanced at their pale faces. "What?"

"Cannibal Cove, sir?" Another asked. Jane nodded. "Home of the…"

"Yes, Cannibal Cove. Home of the Cannibals."

"Nobody has gotten off that island alive!" The same person cried again.

Jane held up one of his fingers. "I can name five people who have gotten off that island alive, and have an outstanding relationship with the Governor." Nobody said anything, so he began to count. "I'm the first," Jane jerked his thumb in the direction of Rigsby, who stood to his left. "He's the second," Jane then jerked his thumb in the direction of Cho, who stood to his right. "He's the third, Mashburn is the fourth, and Lisbon is the fifth."

"Look what good that did her!" Somebody shouted out and Jane's hand went for his sword; the crewmembers could disrespect him all they wanted, but Lisbon was going to be treated with the upmost amount of respect. "She's with Captain Red John and we're aimlessly sailing around the seven seas to find her dead body." He heard Rigsby brandish his own sword behind him, as he took a step forward to kill whoever had had spoken ill of Lisbon.

Jane briefly lifted his sword and aimed it toward his scowling target; a lowly deckhand, when he heard Kris's voice from behind him. "What the fuck are you doing?" He didn't turn his head to stare at her.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Kris?" Jane threw; the edge of his sword pointed against the deckhand's neck. "I'm getting ready to kill him." There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that Kris knew he had tried to kill various other crewmembers before her time, though Lisbon had somehow always managed to stop him.

"And why are you getting ready to kill him?" Kris asked. "I have no issues with you killing anybody on this ship, but you need a reason first."

"He insulted Lisbon." Rigsby gave. "He put bad wishes upon her!"

"All right then; tell me what he said." Jane inhaled at Kris's comment, frustrated that she would even begin to interrupt his judgment.

"He said she was dead already." Rigsby continued and Jane tightened the hold on his sword; Lisbon wasn't dead already, she wasn't. The deckhand cowered against the edge of his sword, which made him feel somewhat better.

"Jane," Kris said calmly, as he felt her hand touch his shoulder. "I understand why you're upset. I get it. I do," he almost thought about shaking her hand off, but he knew she'd pester him until he pretended he was listening. "But killing this man in front of the entire crew will not make your job any easier. If anything, this is just going to cause more outbursts from the crew." Jane scowled. "Let him go, Jane."

"Stay out of this." Jane spat, as he tore his shoulder from her grasp.

"No! I'm first mate. I have just as much standing here are you do. Let. Him. Go!" Kris exclaimed. Jane pulled back on his sword and spun on his heels to eye Kris, who had her arms crossed against her chest. "Killing him is not going to get her back any faster." He took a step closer to her and she went for her own sword, which merely made him chuckle mirthlessly; if she honestly thought that her itty bitty sword was going to protect her, she had a completely different thing coming to her.

"You wanna fight? Let's fight." Kris taunted. "Bring it on, _Captain_." Jane clenched his teeth together. "We both know you have no idea how to use that sword." He lifted his sword toward her, when Cho stepped between them both.

"Captain," Cho interrupted and Jane narrowed his eyes. "Kris has a point."

"Think about Lisbon." Kris continued on. "How do you think she'd feel if you killed me? Or if I killed you?" Jane snorted in disbelief. Kris was a good fighter, but she'd never kill him. "I have no qualms about killing you, Jane. I just restrain myself because I respect Lisbon." If Lisbon had been there, she would have stepped in between. If Lisbon had been there, she would have said the same thing Kris had said. He grimaced and shoved his sword away. "These displays of rage Jane are exactly why you don't get any respect!"

Jane stepped backwards in surprise; nobody had ever been that honest with him. Lisbon, in all her years of being his first mate, had never specifically said that his "loss of respect" had been because of his so-called displays of rage. He nearly snorted again; Kris obviously had no idea what she was talking about and neither did Cho. Both of them clearly didn't know him, as well as they thought they did. Without another word, he turned on his heels and left for his own quarters.

Nobody disturbed him for the rest of the night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **It's not mine.

Thanks to Frogster, ShunKickShunKers, and WeBuiltThePyramids for the reviews! I really do appreciate them all!

I felt terrible writing the second part of this chapter. Unfortunately though, it's needed for plot development.

* * *

><p><strong>5—<strong>

The busy crewmembers worked behind him to keep the ship sailing forward, as Jane glanced out into the dark ocean with a forlorn expression; the voyage had been fairly smooth so far, but the choppy waves in the near distance suggested that they would be facing turbulence soon. Nobody paid him any attention, as he closed his eyes and continued to balance himself on the railing of his ship.

It had been a long, endless month since Lisbon's kidnapping; they still hadn't been able to find her, their journey to Jubilee Island had been rather pointless, and the crew seemed to be keeping a distance from him outside of work matters. If his spirits had been higher, he would have jokingly blamed Cho, Rigsby, or Kris for scaring the majority of the crew off. However, he knew that he had scared them off via his reaction to the possible idea that Lisbon had already been killed.

He, of course, knew her death was highly possible. It had been in the back of his mind for weeks, but he couldn't afford to let himself think like that—especially not if she needed him, and was actually still breathing. Jane sharply inhaled, before he heard Kris's heavy footsteps behind him, though he didn't stand from the railing until she had stopped and opened her mouth to speak.

"What do you see out there?" Kris asked. Jane opened his eyes and raised his eyebrow in response.

"Water." Jane said with a slight smirk, which only made Kris roll her eyes in annoyance. "See anything you like?" He held his arms out slightly as she glanced up toward the sky.

"The sky." Kris coyly responded. Jane chuckled; Kris had a way of avoiding the question. "It's really blue today, don't you think?"

Jane glanced up at the sky also. "It's a lovely shade of purple today." He glanced back down at her only to find that she had her pistol aimed at his foot. In surprise he stepped backwards. "Where in the world did you get that?" He had never recalled her ever carrying a gun, but then again, she had never actually pulled it out before either.

"Shut up, Jane." Kris warned her tone a mixture between amusement and seriousness. "Or I'll shoot you in the foot." Jane shook his head; no matter how much she threatened him, she'd never really hurt him. Kris had no idea how to crew a ship or be a captain, even though she constantly made cracks that his job was the easiest thing ever.

"You wouldn't do that, Kris." Jane said, brightly. Kris cocked her eyebrows and he continued to speak. "You enjoy my company way too much, and I'm your Captain." He paused to flash the brunette a grin. "If you kill me, I will forever haunt you."

"Why would that be any different from any other day?" Kris asked. "And aren't we modest today? Rigsby needs to lay off the compliments. They're getting to you." Jane chuckled again. Rigsby had been overly respectful since the argument two weeks ago, though he had a feeling that Rigsby was only behaving that way to spite Kris. "How do you fit your head through the door? Also, how do we even manage to stay afloat with your ego being that large?"

"Just a talent, I guess." Jane offered.

Kris rolled her eyes again. "Talent, my ass."

"I don't think your ass has much to do with it, my dear." Jane answered. Kris shook her head and he hurriedly changed the subject, as she moved to tuck her gun away in her pocket. "We're halfway to Cannibal Cove." Kris blinked.

"Is that supposed to make me jump for joy?" Kris questioned. Jane nodded. He had expected her to be joyous that she was finally escaping him for a few hours, even though she seemed pretty content talking to him then. "You are way too cheerful about this island. I'm almost wondering if we shouldn't just leave you there."

"Funny." Jane dryly said. "I was wondering the same thing about you." Kris narrowed her eyes.

"Don't make me get out of my gun again, Jane." Kris threatened again, and Jane sighed. Respect was lost on her still, clearly. "Captain or not, you're still a pain in the ass." If Kris had been a part of other crews (he briefly thought of the Red Rum and Red John's style of management), she would have been punished until she had submitted herself to the Captain's orders.

"I could say the same thing about you." Jane spoke. "But I won't, for you see…"

"You just did." Kris interrupted.

Jane waved her off. "Meh, technicalities." He grinned at the grimace on Kris's face; she was fun to set off. "Do you have any questions that you'd like to ask me?"

"Yeah." Kris said, and he nodded for her to ask. "Can I smack that smile off your face?" Her grimace became a smile. Jane sighed. He hadn't meant for her to ask that question, but at least she was amused and less murderous. "So, how do you know Cannibal Cove? Cause that seems to be all you ever talk about."

He continued to grin, before he cleared his throat and started to tell the story of Cannibal Cove. "Before you, Cho and Rigsby joined our merry little crew; Lisbon, Mashburn and I had sat sail for Cannibal Cove, the nefarious body dumping grounds for Red John and his crew." Kris nodded. "When we got to the island, we were met by ten foot spiders with red eyes and venomous pinchers."

Kris rolled her eyes. "Please continue, because this story is just so believable." Jane eyed her. The spiders were real, give or take nine feet and they were evil. One of them had almost bitten Lisbon, which could have caused death or horrible hallucinations. "How big were those spiders again?"

"Ten feet tall." Jane repeated, trying not to laugh. It was an age old tradition for him to try and scare all new ship recruits into thinking that Cannibal Cove held all sorts of dark and dirty things, when really Cannibal Cove (with the exception of the cannibals) was just a cove with many bodies and poisonous spiders.

"You mean these spiders were the size of your ego, especially when you decided to create this story to scare people?" Kris threw, dryly. He ignored her.

"These spiders chased us from the ship and Mashburn screamed like a little girl." He paused, as Kris laughed. Jane beamed; Kris's laugh was stunning, much like Lisbon's. "Eventually, we landed on this sacred sacrificial ground. I'll spare you the gory details, but Mashburn touched their sacred alter." He started to circle her with a smirk; Kris didn't need to know that he had been the one to touch the sacred alter, which had lead them all straight to Bret Stiles.

"Whatever." Kris said. "Mashburn is many things, but you're the only idiot who would attempt that." Jane frowned. Kris wasn't any fun. "So, what happened next? Did you all find yourselves at the bottom of a volcano, living among the lava people?" Kris burst out laughing again.

"For your information, no." Jane informed her. "My story is nothing but truthful." _With a few parts added in_, he added in his own mind.

"Liar." Kris called. "I'm not gullible enough to believe any of this." She could have honestly fooled him.

"The governor then found us, and…"

"Wait." Kris interrupted again. "You expect me to believe that there's a governor of people who eat people? What do you take me for? An idiot?"

"His name is Bret Stiles." Jane continued. "He let us live…"

"That's his biggest mistake then, allowing you and Mashburn to roam free. Think of all the women that could have avoided awkward morning after's with you." Jane also noted that Kris had laughed so hard, that she had started to cry.

"And we met Cho and Rigsby…"

"Under the moonlight?" Kris teased. "Did the ten foot spiders give you a hand in finding them?"

"Actually, yes." Kris doubled over in laugher, before she fell to her knees. The entire crew, Jane had a feeling, probably thought he was trying to kill her. Her laugher, however, was very much contagious and he started to laugh with her. "Stiles said we could leave the island, if we did two things." He had continued on, after the both of them had calmed down enough. "One, Stiles wanted us to take Cho and Rigsby, our resident military men, off the island. Something about several pregnancy scares and a missing nose." Kris raised her eyebrows, as she continued to laugh. The pregnancy scare thing hadn't exactly been true, but the missing nose had been. Rigsby still complained about Stiles' precious artifact any time Cannibal Cove was mentioned. "I never asked, because I thought it was their business. Cho's always been private, and Rigsby's well…Rigsby." Kris nodded. "The second dealt with those spiders."

"Don't tell me," Kris answered, as she held back her laughter for one moment of seriousness. "The spiders were becoming their own republic; spiders of the revolution, who carried their own swords." Jane watched as she lost herself again and he chuckled; Kris rarely laughed, and the entire crew hadn't had much to laugh at lately, so he felt highly accomplished.

"Stiles wanted us to feed the spiders, so we promised that we would come back in seven years, with our own female sacrifice." Kris continued to laugh, until finally she stopped.

"You're an idiot." She threw, as she walked away from him. "But, you amuse me."

Jane grinned at her retreating form; half of that story had been true, the other…not so much. He briefly wondered if he should have told her that she possibly needed a pardon from Governor Stiles to not be eaten, but she was attractive, so he felt that she would more than likely live.

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><p>Lisbon tried to keep her attention on the flickering candle that remained on the archaic table before her, as her new captor pushed her into the matching chair and pointed at the silver plate, which held a heaping portion of overcooked beef and ripening fruit. Her stomach rolled; the acidic taste of her own stomach contents from her lastmeal (she had finally given into O'Laughlin's "generous" meal, although she hadn't been able to keep down the bit of bread or putrid water.) that lingered within her mouth and nose, and the salty smell from the beef made her twist her head away.<p>

Her new captor slammed his hand on the table. Lisbon bated her breath to hide her reaction of trepidation and slight fear; O'Laughlin had never shown her violence, but the pirate before her was clearly in favor of teaching a lesson. "You're going to eat, wench." She stiffened and the pirate briefly leaned across the table to give her a cold smirk; his warm, rancid breath hit her face and she grimaced. "Don't like that very much, do ya?" Lisbon tried not to react to his breath or his question, but both reminded her way too much of her deceased drunkard father. He took a step back from her face, and she heaved an inaudible sigh. "The Cap'n demands that you eat all of that. Crew thinks O'Laughlin's been too soft on yah." Too soft? O'Laughlin asked her tiring question after question ("What do you think your Captain is doing right now, Teresa?"), had begun to pry into her personal history with him ("You took a traitor aboard, Lisbon. Did you really think it wouldn't continue to haunt you?"), and he had given her just enough sustenance to survive on ("You need to eat. I know it isn't much, but it will keep you from getting sick."). If O'Laughlin had been too soft, he wouldn't have kidnapped her. "Before ye touch that, I thought ye should know that your little vessel docked on Jubilee Island." Lisbon frowned. "Looks like your Captain doesn't…"

Lisbon raised her nose slightly, her voice watery. "I'm not hungry." She couldn't afford to think about that, not then anyway.

"Too bad." The pirate responded in a snarl; his mouth parted slightly, to where Lisbon could see that his bottom teeth were slightly crooked. "You're gonna eat it or I'll force it down ya." She slowly blinked in response to his threat and glanced back down at the plate. If he even tried to force feed her, she knew she'd be vomiting for days. "No?" He picked the large piece of beef up with his dirty hands and held it out to her. "Eat."

"I can't!" Lisbon repeated. "I can't, I'm not…"

He backhanded her across the face before she could finish her sentence. Lisbon blinked in surprise, as she gingerly brought her hand up to touch at her splotched face. "I told ya to eat it, wench." Lisbon said nothing and the pirate shook his head, as he tore the large piece of beef into more manageable portions. "I guess we'll do this the hard way." He leaned across the table, roughly pressed his pointer finger and his thumb against her jaw, before he stuffed the piece of beef into her slightly opened mouth. Lisbon moved to spit it out, but he wouldn't let her, as he continued to stuff her mouth with the portions of beef. "It's good, ain't it? Billy's a good cook." With a mouth full of beef, she made no movement to swallow what he had given her. "You're gonna have to swallow eventually, girlie." If she could just wait until after he left, she could spit the food out and manage to keep her stomach. "No?" The pirate moved his fingers from her jaw to pinch her nose closed and she hurriedly moved to swallow; the course beef tore down her throat and made her stomach churn dangerously. "Much better, ain't it?"

"You son of a…!"

The pirate wrapped his hand securely around her throat and squeezed lightly. "I'd watch what you say, lass." Lisbon tried to fight against his hold. "I call the shots around here now, not Your Royal Highness O'Laughlin." He paused to chuckle as he let go of her throat, pulled her from the chair, and dragged her back to her cell; the dull candlelight from the stub on the floor revealed dried vomit smeared across the floor, her bare blanket thrown to the back of the prison, and she hoped he would just deposit her on the floor and leave, but he didn't. Instead of leaving, he dragged her body to the set of chains and pushed her stomach roughly against the back wall.

Lisbon tried to struggle against his strong hold as he clamped the chains around both of her wrists.

"O'Laughlin has no idea what he's doing." The pirate told her. She tried to turn her head to look at him, but he kicked her legs apart with his booted foot and she threw her chained hands out to stop herself from colliding into the wall. "The Captain trusts him to punish ya, but he's only coddled ya." He tittered and Lisbon felt her stomach roll; whatever he had planned for her wasn't going to be anything good. Before she could stop herself, the meal that he had forced down her throat found her thin navy top, the wall, and the floor beneath their feet. The acid from the food burned at her throat, her nose, and the smell made her eyes water as she coughed and the pirate cursed from behind her. "You'll pay for this, you bitch!"

It was all of a warning she received, before she felt an intense burst of pain across both of her clothed legs. Lisbon tried to arch her body forward into the wall with a sharp hiss, and her legs spasmed in response.

He hit her again, and again, and again; she clenched her fists together and bit her lip. She refused to scream for him. The pirate mirthlessly chuckled. "Strong one, aren't ye?" He hit at her legs again and she could suddenly taste something metallic lingering within her mouth. "No worries, I enjoy breaking little lasses like you." Lisbon braced herself for him to strike her legs again with a sharp inhale of breath, but it never came. "O'Laughlin! What are ye doing down here?"

She heard him before she saw him, her head in their direction; O'Laughlin had his fingers entangled in the pirates' shirt, his blue eyes narrowed into slits, and the whip her captor had used, fell to the floor with a dull thump. "What in the hell do you think you're doing, Jacobs?" Even though her mind was heavy, as if in a pain filled haze, Lisbon realized that "Jacobs" was probably the last name of her latest torturer. "I thought I made it perfectly clear that nobody was allowed to harm her!" She watched as O'Laughlin threw Jacobs from her cell and hurried back inside; his warm, callused fingers brushed over her hands before he hurriedly moved to unlock the chains from around her wrists and lower her onto the ground. She flinched at the contact. "Can you hear me, Teresa?" The cool ground felt good against the searing heat of her legs and she shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position, only to hiss in response. "Teresa? Can you hear me?"

"Yes." She had almost ignored him, but he had saved her. O'Laughlin could have allowed for Jacobs to continue, but he hadn't. Whether or not O'Laughlin had heard her simple response though, she had no idea.

Everything went black.

When she finally awoke, she became acutely aware of the sharp, throbbing pain in both of her legs and the thin blue blanket that covered her. Somebody (O'Laughlin, maybe?) had moved her from beneath the chains and away from the vile bucket to rest on the left side of the cell. The wooden, grimy ceiling was brightly lit and she briefly wondered if O'Laughlin or Jacobs had forgotten the candle.

"You're awake."

Lisbon flinched, before she relaxed slightly; the voice wasn't Jacobs's, the voice was O'Laughlin's, which meant she could possibly escape any further punishment. She tried to lift her head to look at O'Laughlin, when she heard his voice again. "You shouldn't move. It'll aggravate the injury more." She frowned. O'Laughlin sounded almost concerned, which only served to make her feel more confused. Why in the world would O'Laughlin sound concerned, unless he had never planned on her being hurt. He had stopped her punishment without asking for anything in return, and if the crew really hated him, he had put his own life on the line to help her. "I thought about bringing you food, but I doubted your stomach could handle it." She blinked in surprise; he hadn't agreed on force feeding her either? Lisbon was completely surprised that O'Laughlin hadn't agreed with any ideas of torturing her, considering that the man worked for Red John, and Red John tortured for fun.

O'Laughlin stepped backwards from her cell and moved his arms to rest behind his back, as he continued to view her through the bars. Lisbon knew from the way he stood that he was going to ask her more questions, which made her shiver slightly. Once again, she'd have to school her features into a completely blank look to fool O'Laughlin into stop thinking he'd ever get anything out of her.

Before he said anything, she managed to sit up and lean her back against the wall—her legs stinging at every small movement that she made. She saw him frown slightly, a dark bruise forming under his left eye.

"Do you miss your ship?" O'Laughlin started and Lisbon blinked. Of course she missed her ship; she missed the freedom, the cool ocean mist against her face, breakfasts with Kris, her adventures with Cho and Rigsby, and she missed Jane, but above all else, she missed feeling safe. Yes, O'Laughlin had saved her from Jacobs but she knew that Jacobs would eventually come after her again, because Red John had demanded it and because the crew apparently disliked O'Laughlin.

In the grand scheme of things, she honestly couldn't believe that. Craig O'Laughlin had always been a sharp, charming individual and for the entire crew to dislike him? It wouldn't have been believed, but Jacobs hadn't greeted O'Laughlin with open arms and he had a bruise. Lisbon blinked again, and glanced up at O'Laughlin's face, as he took a step forward. "Do you think your crew is looking for you, Teresa?"

Lisbon stiffened; she missed her crew, but did they miss her? In the back of her mind, she tried to reason that the crew hadn't found her yet because of Red John. If Jane hadn't been able to find (and kill) Red John in eight years, what did that mean for her? Jacobs had mentioned that the Scarlet Oasis had been hot on their tail, but Jane had decided to randomly dock on Jubilee Island.

It troubled her to think that he would drink, instead of doing everything in his power to find her. It also troubled her that Kris would allow Jane to drink, when she knew her friend was missing. _If either one of them had gone missing_, Lisbon thought as she tried to keep her emotions in check, _I would have done everything in my power to save them_. Kris and Jane were family and…

She paused in her thoughts to stare at O'Laughlin, who once again, almost seemed concerned.

"Did your Captain and best friend fight a lot?" O'Laughlin dropped his third (and if true to pattern, last) question. Lisbon glanced down at her dirty hands; Jane and Kris fought all of the time. It had never been a large secret that Kris refused to respect Jane and Jane distrusted Kris, mainly due to O'Laughlin and Red John. It also had never been a dark secret that both had horrible tempers and both had almost come to blows many times, over being forced to treat the other with respect.

Kris loved to fight and Jane loved to pick fights; it was truly a wonder, at least in her pain-addled mind, that Jane and Kris could even make it to Jubilee without killing each other or sinking the ship.

O'Laughlin approached her cell again and put one of his hands on the bars. "Are you feeling all right, Teresa? You look…ill."

_No_, she answered him in her head, _I feel sick_.

Her stomach rolled again and she closed her eyes.

"Are you hurting?" O'Laughlin questioned, softly. Lisbon opened her eyes to eye him in disbelief. He had to be kidding, right? He had kidnapped her, put her in the position of being punished, and he had the gull to ask if she was hurting and okay? She narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, her throat dry and lips cracked.

"Go to hell, O'Laughlin." Lisbon spat. O'Laughlin withdrew his hard from her bars and narrowed his own eyes. "You can send those same regards to the rest of your crew and Red John too." He turned his head away from her and left, taking the light away also.

When Jacobs returned to force feed her again; she felt somewhat more hopeful, when he didn't hit her for vomiting and didn't mention her insult against O'Laughlin. The gruff pirate almost seemed tolerable, as he tossed her back in her cell without another word and left without having raised one hand toward her.

Lisbon briefly wondered if her insulting O'Laughlin would stop the punishments, and the next time she saw O'Laughlin, she insulted him again and he left. It felt empowering to know that she could figure her way out of being tortured, based on the crew's general dislike toward him. Hope, even within the darkest of her current situation, had returned to her with every well placed insult.

"Eat." Jacobs gruffly ordered, as he sat her down for the third time at the meal table. Lisbon glanced down at her plate of overcooked beef and ripening fruit with a grimace and shook her head. Jacobs, even though he narrowed his eyes in slight anger, wouldn't touch her. "Ye better eat this, wench."

"No." Lisbon managed; she wasn't going to allow him to hold all of the power, just because he had hurt her once. "I'm not hungry."

"What did ye say?" Jacobs asked; the urgency of his tone and the lowering of his voice didn't scare her as she stared him in the face.

"I said," Lisbon repeated. "I'm not hungry." Jacobs raised his hand slightly and Lisbon braced herself for the hit, but nothing came.

"Okay." Jacobs replied. Lisbon smiled, slightly; she had managed to get Jacobs to let her off. She tried to imagine herself getting Red John to let her go, when she felt Jacobs pull her from her seat and led her into her cell. Without comment, he pushed her in and she waited for him to lock her cell door, but it never came. Instead, Jacobs stepped into her cell and threw her a cold smirk. "Ye thought ye could stop me, didn't ye lass?"

He didn't give her a chance to think what he meant, as he backhanded her across the face and she fell backwards onto the dirt floor, her hands stung (as did her face) as she scrambled away from him. Jacobs said nothing, while he moved to uncoil the leather whip from around his waist. He also said nothing, as he brought the leather whip down upon her legs. Lisbon hissed as the leather danced across her old wounds and she tried to scoot herself away from him; the corner becoming her small refuge. With every sting of the leather against her lower body, she could feel her hope draining, until she completely blacked out again; O'Laughlin's name dying on her lips.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I don't own this.

Thanks to ShunKickShunkers and Frogster for the reviews! I seriously do appreciate the feedback, because this story is insanely long and _extremely _planned out to chapter seventeen.

There will be no chapter posted on 4/30, due to the fact that I like to post in threes. It's also a "week-off" that I like to take to get three chapters or so ahead, because without a break, I think I would lose my mind. ;)

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><p><strong>6—<strong>

"So, this is Governor Stiles' home." Kris said, as she and Jane stared up at the white, three columned, two story manor from a distance. Jane nodded at her statement and she sighed; she had absolutely no desire to meet with the governor of Cannibal Cove, and if it hadn't been for Jane's persistent whining on the ship, she would have never even gotten off the ship in the first place. Cannibals didn't frighten her per say, but she had heard some pretty frightening stories from her childhood that served to make her weary of all human eating creatures. Jane seemed completely fine, but then again, it was Jane. "He's obviously very well off for somebody who eats people."

Jane said nothing in response to her and the both of them slowly approached the front door, before he turned to stare at her. "You should have dressed up." She didn't turn her head to eye him, as he moved to knock on the white double doors, dressed in the same ensemble as always of a white shirt and black pants.

"And become lunch?" Kris questioned in disbelief. "I don't think so." The set of doors swung inward to reveal a stout, slightly balding man dressed in a black shirt and tan pants. He glanced them over, nonplused and Kris doubted that they ever had the joys of meeting live visitors.

"How may I help you today, sir?" The help asked. Kris opened her mouth to respond, when Jane stepped forward to stop her.

"My good man," Jane addressed him. Kris crossed her arms against her chest; the help, in her opinion, weren't supposed to be treated kindly. "We'd like to speak to Governor Stiles; if he isn't occupied or otherwise disposed."

"Can I ask who "we" is?"

"Captain Patrick Jane and his first mate Kristina Saffron of the Scarlet Oasis." Kris narrowed her eyes at Jane's introduction. When would the man learn that she hated her full name? Jane shot her a sly grin and she grimaced.

"Come in," the help stated, before he waved the both of them inside and shut the door behind them. "If you would stay right here and not touch anything, I'll go and get my master." Kris gave a brisk nod.

"You have absolutely no people skills, Kris." Jane commented after the help had hurried off to find Stiles. "You could have, at least, given him a smile."

"The help is the help, Jane." Kris explained. "You aren't meant to be polite; they are there for a reason." She briefly allowed her eyes to glance around the warmly decorated foyer, though she could feel Jane's stare on her, to find it full of painted landscape portraits and a rather large portrait of a well-dressed man, who struck a powerful pose with a skull in his hand.

"You had help growing up." Jane assessed. Kris turned back to stare at him; she had grown up in a rather wealthy home, and yes, her father had taught her not to interact with the help, outside of giving orders. The pirate captain wore a large grin across his face and her fingers inched to smack it off. Jane just thought he knew her, when really, he knew nothing at all. "If you give me a yes or no, I'll leave you alone."

She eyed him; it was tempting, but the information he wanted wasn't pertinent. "It's never a yes or no with you, Jane. You always seem to have a follow-up question to a follow-up question."

"It's in my nature to be curious about my crew." Jane explained. Kris rolled her eyes; he probably didn't even know half of the crewmembers' names. "For example, I know everything about Lisbon. What do you know about her?" Kris sniggered. "What?"

"You think you know everything about her, but trust me." Kris informed him. "There are things she didn't tell you. Plus," she paused at his questioning stare, "when you stand by a person's side all of the time, you learn more about them in a couple of hours, than you would in one, brief conversation."

"Well put, Kristina." Governor Stiles interrupted with the clap of his hands. Kris and Jane turned slightly to stare at Stiles, who wore a dark well-tailored suit. "You should listen to this one, Patrick. She actually has some good advice, even though she puts it quite coldly." Stiles paused to stare at her with a cool smile. "Behind that cold exterior lies a heart of gold."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, sir." Kris responded, coyly. "I was never one for the heat." Stiles continued to smile and Kris felt somewhat disappointed. After all those childhood stories, she had expected the governor to have red eyes and blood stained teeth, but aside from the bright blue eyes and his predator smile, there was nothing that really screamed cannibal.

Stiles took a step forward and shook Jane's slightly extended hand. "Patrick, it's been so long. How are you doing?" Jane politely nodded with a smile, before the governor moved over to her. She extended her hand with the expectation of getting a handshake, when he took her hand in his and turned it over. "It's nice to meet you, my dear. I'm Governor Bret Stiles, but you may call me Bret." He briefly leaned down and pressed his lips to the back of her hand, before he glanced up at her. "You're quite lovely, Kristina."

Kris glanced down at her feet and blushed. _Cannibal or not_, she thought, _he definitely had charm_. She heard Jane chuckle softly and she scowled. He would laugh at her.

"What are you doing here, Patrick?" Stiles asked Jane. Kris tried to rid the bright blush spread across her cheeks, while she listened into their conversation. "I had just thought about you and your lovely Teresa weeks ago." Stiles paused again to glance around the room and Kris brought her head up from her feet. "Speaking of Teresa, where is she? Is she all right?" Kris raised her eyebrows at Stiles. In the hurried manner that he had asked his questions, she had a pretty good feeling that he knew more than he was letting on.

"That's why we're here." Jane answered. "It's about Lisbon." Stiles frowned.

"Well," Stiles spoke politely. "We can talk about it over lunch." Kris tried not to blanch. Lunch with a cannibal? It sounded beyond precarious.

"Okay." Jane said. Stiles clapped his hands together, his smile back in place.

"Excellent!" Stiles called. "I shall go tell my cook to prepare lunch." Stiles hurried past them before Kris punched Jane in the shoulder.

"Hey!" Jane cried, as he moved to rub at his sore shoulder. "What was that for? I was just being polite. After all, it isn't everyday you're offered lunch."

"And it's not every day you become lunch for an island full of cannibals either." Kris threw. She understood the concept of politeness, outside various cannibals and any enemies that she might have had. "What if he gives us human to eat, Jane? Did you think about that one?"

"He's not going to feed us human, dear." Jane tried to soothe her.

"And you know this how?" Kris questioned, and she tapped her foot on the tiled floor. "Are you psychic?"

Jane grimaced. "There are no such things as psychics, Kris. Lisbon and I have eaten here before."

"Did Lisbon actually eat?" She asked him, out of curiosity. Lisbon had never really mentioned her time on Cannibal Cove or any of her various meetings with Stiles, but it didn't mean that she hadn't attempted to eat on the island. Jane shook his head. "She didn't?"

"Bret took her to his garden." Jane replied. "She didn't mind to be missing out." Kris shook her head. Lisbon (aside from the whole wandering off the ship and getting herself kidnapped thing) had been smart. Why would anybody non-cannibal accept food from cannibals in the first place? Unless, Kris eyed Jane carefully, Jane was secretly a cannibal. "Bret knows more than he's letting on, Kris."

"I kinda figured that." Kris said and he eyed her in surprise. "Bret wouldn't invite us to lunch if he knew nothing at all."

"You're learning. I'm highly impressed."

"Who said I learned it from you?" Kris retorted. Jane beamed brightly.

"Lunch is ready." Stiles spoke and Jane turned to follow the governor cannibal, who had already started back in the same direction he had come from. Kris rushed after them both, if only just to make sure that Jane wouldn't become an appetizer. Stiles continued to lead them both down a long candlelit hallway, and he eventually stopped to open one of the many doors, where only one placemat sat on the dark oak dining room table. The smallish room, Kris noticed in idle interest, was decorated with crème walls and dark red carpeting. "I thought that you would enjoy my world famous vegetable soup, Patrick. I gathered all of the ingredients from my own garden, for I doubt Kristina cooks you anything."

Kris eyed the black pot on the table, wearily. She knew how to cook and had always been pretty decent in the kitchen, her father had seen to that, but she felt that if Jane had two hands, he could save his own ass from starving.

"It smells delicious, Bret." Jane complimented, as he moved toward the table and sat down near the placemat. Kris started toward him, when Stiles put a hand on her shoulder. She fought against her natural response to shrug him off.

"Kristina," Stiles addressed her, lowly. She blinked. "Let's leave Patrick to enjoy his lunch. You didn't look very hungry anyway and I have something I must show you." Kris almost said no, but she realized that Lisbon had taken the same meeting and had come back without any missing appendages.

"Okay…" Kris answered, awkwardly. Stiles kept his hand on her shoulder, as he addressed Jane.

"Kristina and I will be outside, Patrick." Stiles informed him. Jane briefly glanced up from his bowl and nodded, before he went back to eating. "Come on." Stiles then guided her from the room, before he led her further down the hallway, and then outside into the brightly sunlight garden. Stiles said nothing, as he proceeded to sit on a white bench underneath a white blossoming tree. "Come sit with me." He patted the spot next to him and she reluctantly sat. Neither said anything and Kris glanced around nervously; his blooming garden had plenty of places to hide a dead body. "I'm not going to eat you, Kristina." Stiles continued after nearly two minutes of silence, aside from the chirping of the birds. "You, like the rest of your ship, are welcome to come and go on my island without the fear of becoming dinner." His reassurances didn't make her feel much better about the entire situation, even though he hadn't tried to barbeque them just yet. "Patrick thinks I might have missed him referring to you as his first mate, but I can assure you, I did not." Kris blinked again. She hadn't expected for their full titles to be used, let alone brought back up in conversation. "So tell me, Kristina. Did you happen to replace Teresa?"

"It's a temporary position." Kris replied and Stiles smiled.

"Why would Patrick temporarily replace Teresa?" Stiles questioned. Kris said nothing, mainly because she had no idea how much she should tell him. "Teresa's been with Patrick for eight years. Why would he feel the need to put you," Stiles paused to eye her, which made her clench her teeth together in annoyance. "The misguided daughter of an affluent and influential figure within high society, in her title or bring you along with him?" Kris nearly grimaced; Jane's "innocent" name drop hadn't gone unnoticed either, which meant that Stiles somehow knew _exactly _who she was. "Don't worry, Kristina. I won't tell him; it's your truth to tell."

Kris glanced at him, and she hoped her next statement would distract him. "Because she's been taken and somebody needed to do her job." She paused to bite her lower lip. "Jane chose me and I have no clue as to why."

Stiles laughed, to which Kris tilted her head in confusion. Why would he find that funny? "You know why he chose you, Kristina. You're just not ready to admit it to yourself yet." Kris continued to stare. Had she completely missed something?

"Inform me." Kris politely demanded. "Apparently the reason went over my head."

"Patrick has feelings for you, of course." Stiles, while polite, apparently didn't beat around the bush. Kris shuddered repulsively; Jane didn't have feelings for her. He had possible feelings for Lisbon, but not for her. She didn't even have any feelings for him, and the very idea of them together left her with a bad taste in her mouth. "You shouldn't act so repulsed, Kristina. Patrick is a decent man, who seems to be harboring feelings for you. My question for you is this," Stiles paused once more to smile, "how do you feel about him?" Kris clenched her teeth together again. If it hadn't been illegal to kill a governor on his own island, Kris would have strangled him with her bare hands immediately.

"Well, what do you know about Lisbon and her disappearance?" Kris tried to distract him from his insane theory; she and Jane really had no attraction, what-so-ever. "You didn't invite us over here just to watch Jane eat some lunch."

"I will answer your question," Stiles said and Kris heaved a silent sigh of relief, "but _only _if you answer mine." If she answered his question, she knew it would be like selling her soul to the devil. However, they needed any and all information that he had related to Lisbon and O'Laughlin.

"What question would that be again?" Kris coyly asked and Stiles chuckled.

"You're avoiding my question, Kristina." Stiles stated and Kris almost rolled her eyes, as she glanced up toward the bright blue sky. His question, at least to her, was still dumb and not even worth her energy to answer. "But because I understand your conflict, I will ask you a completely different question."

_What conflict_? She asked herself, while Stiles grew pensive. _Sure, Jane and I fight all of the time …but our only reoccurring conflict is his continuing theme of stupidity._ Kris shook head, and waited for Stiles to ask his secondary question.

She didn't have to wait long, before he spoke again. "What do you think Patrick will do when he finds out what is happening to Teresa?" Kris sharply inhaled. Out of all the questions he could have asked her, she had never expected him to ask something that she had found herself asking a lot lately.

Kris knew Jane didn't exactly have the _best _mental health in the world. So, if they did find Lisbon's body (or if they never found her at all), she had a strong feeling that Jane's meltdown would have horrible consequences for everybody. Jane, as far as she was concerned, _could _be a good captain, and although she'd never say it to his face (or to anybody else's, for that matter), she couldn't imagine herself working under any other egotistical jackass than him.

She bit her lip again; she knew she had to ask. The imagination was one thing to toy with, especially when all of the possible outcomes continued to haunt her dreams, but what if it was suddenly made very real via Stiles? How would anybody on the crew react to that? Swallowing her nerves, Kris pressed forward. "What is happening to her?"

"If I knew anything about Teresa's situation or condition, I would tell you." Stiles answered. She didn't believe him one bit, but if he was just going to avoid all her questions, she wasn't going to pry further. "By the way, Kristina; your father sends his regards." Kris shot off the bench and clenched her fists together, before she turned on her heels and stormed away from him without a word.

_Why would he bother_? Kris silently mused, as she hurried back inside to Stiles' home and down the hallway. _Why does he have something to say all of a sudden? He said all he needed to the last time he had spoken to me._ She ran past the room Jane still remained in, only to hear him shout out her name.

She completely ignored him.

* * *

><p>"Kris!" Jane called from his spot at the dining room table, as he caught sight of Kris running past the open doorway. It didn't take him more than five seconds to realize that she hadn't listened to him, before he stood from the table and knocked back his seat in a rush to catch her.<p>

Stiles greeted him with a friendly smile, as he stood in the doorway. "Did you enjoy your lunch?" Jane stepped to meet the cheerful cannibal.

"I did, Bret." Jane answered. Stiles moved to speak, but Jane continued instead. "I'd love to stay and chat about your garden, but I have other places to be."

"And other people to pester, Patrick?" Stiles asked. Jane smiled lightly; underneath Stiles' cool façade remained a rather manipulated and predatory man, who had been known to cause hell to those who disrespected him. Stiles shook his head. "She'll be fine." He eyed the governor. Who had he meant when he said "she"? Stiles obviously had information on either Lisbon or Red John and Kris had apparently learned that the hard way not to push him into revealing information. He had learned the hard way after having been led on a wild goose chase through several islands, Lisbon had been angry with him for several weeks after that incident. "Kristina will be fine. Give her time to cool off, Patrick." It wasn't smart going around the island by yourself. While Stiles had control of the entire cove, some of his "citizens" had a liking to human flesh, not provided by Red John or Bret Stiles. "Nobody on my island will touch a woman. Your Kristina is safe."

Jane continued to eye him. "My Kristina?" Stiles merely grinned, which irritated Jane.

"You can't tell me, you don't know?" Stiles responded, his smile kept growing wider and wider. Jane said nothing. "Oh, Patrick. However do you manage not to see something like this?" Jane hoped Stiles would explain his comment further, but he didn't. "I had really hoped that you would stay longer, but I understand finding Teresa takes top priority. I do hope you find her." Stiles stepped back from the doorway and Jane moved into the hallway. "When you do find her, you should come back and visit. We'll celebrate with the best red wine." Jane politely nodded, though if they could help it, he'd never be back. Without another word to Stiles, he tried to make his way to the front door, when Stiles spoke again. "One last thing, my friend." Jane turned to glance at him. "_Omni ope atque opera. _Good luck." Stiles left.

Jane shook his head; Stiles and his odd behaviors made absolutely no sense. He left without a further word and hoped to catch up with either Kris or Cho and Rigsby, who had offered to linger behind at Red John's latest body drop sight to search for clues.

"Have either of you seen Kris?" Jane questioned Cho and Rigsby. He had been extremely thankful that Cannibal Cove wasn't a large place as he waited, slightly out of breath, for either to address him.

Cho glanced up from the small pile of rotting flesh and bone to speak. "What did you say to her now?"

Jane crossed his arms against his chest. "What makes you think it was me?" Both Cho and Rigsby stared, and Jane felt the need to defend himself. "Kris had her first encounter with Bret." Rigsby flinched; he probably did remember his own first (and only) meeting with the man.

"How'd she take it?"

"She ran off." Cho answered. "How do you think she took it?"

"I was just asking." Rigsby defended.

"Did either of you find anything?" Jane interrupted. Cho nodded and Jane felt his heart drop into his stomach. Had Cho found Lisbon's body? "You didn't…"

"No." Cho said. "We didn't." Jane exhaled in relief.

"What did you find then?" Rigsby gestured toward the nearest mangled corpse, who wore somewhat dressier clothing than the rest of the bodies. "You found a suited man? How does that help us?" Cho shook his head.

"It's what he's wearing."

Jane eyed the body again; average male, rich society, red and white pin attached to the outside of his waist coast.

"The pin?" Jane asked, as he furrowed his brows. What was so important about a pin?

"The pin." Cho agreed. "It's the insignia of Manse Island."

Jane sighed; they'd had less to go off before when it concerned Red John, and any place would be better than Cannibal Cove, even a place full of snooty rich people.

"Fine." Jane stated. "Let's leave this island." Nobody argued, and as they started to walk back toward the ship, Jane spoke again. "I'll tell Kris…"

"I'd leave her alone, Captain." Rigsby cut in. "Otherwise, she might kill you."

Jane nodded and silently vowed to tell her later, but he never did.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **This isn't mine, honestly.

Thanks to cherryblossomcanopy, ShunKickShunKers, Frogster, and Loes-chan for the reviews. They're seriously appreciated!

One quick note: chapter 8, which is being posted Monday May 14th, will bring an increase in rating (T to M). I can't really say why here, but there's a valid reason. Trust me.

* * *

><p><strong>7—<strong>

In the hollering chaos of docking on the deck above, Kris stared down at the wooden floor on her cot and tried to block Jane's voice from her hearing. In the past few weeks of sailing from Cannibal Cove to wherever they were going next, neither she nor Jane had idle time on their hands to talk. For whatever reason, a few of the idiot crewmembers had decided to test the "friendliness" of the cannibals on the cove. If Jane hadn't needed the crew, she would have killed them all due to their overwhelming stupidity, which she had a feeling had come from Jane and his various recounting of how "friendly" Stiles and his "companions" were.

Before they had left the cove, two of their own had been killed by cannibals and both she and Jane, had taken revenge of sorts. It had been mostly her taking the revenge though, because Jane had never shown expertise with a sword, and she didn't want him to cut off his own hand in trying to kill two rogue cannibals.

Of course, Kris had used the moment her blade had gutted both cannibals to pretend she had killed Bret Stiles. The cocky cannibal had pissed her off with his comment about Jane, and to add to her insult, he had had mentioned her father. Jane had never asked her for whatever Stiles had said, but she knew from his aloofness toward the matter that he was just biding his time, until he had managed to corner her alone.

_Which is why_, Kris thought with a frown, _I'm sitting in the Crew Quarters instead of being on deck with him_.

She heard Jane's voice again and she rolled her eyes; it was absolutely surprising that he hadn't burned down the ship yet, especially with all of the stupid commands he continued to make. Pirate Captain or not, the man was slowly trying to drive her insane with his misspoken orders and confusing ship jargon. Soon enough, she knew her momentary peace would be shattered by one of the crewmembers, who would question her on what Jane had meant.

"Kristina?" Kris gritted her teeth and continued to glance down at the floor; it was Mashburn. "Patrick would like to see you."

Kris glanced up at him with her teeth still clenched. "You can tell him I'm busy."

"We're docking though." Mashburn explained. Kris continued to stare at him, until finally she sighed and stood from her cot. It seemed that nobody was going to let her brood in peace and Jane, certainly wasn't about to leave her alone if he had sent Mashburn after her. "I've been curious as to where you've been lately, Kristina." He continued, as she heard his footsteps echoing behind her. "Patrick says Bret talked to you, and I just wanted to let you know that…" Kris paused to turn and stare at him in anger. If she wouldn't tell Jane, why in the hell would she tell Mashburn? Jane was an absolute idiot!

"It's none of your business what he said, _Walter_." Kris threw and Mashburn blinked in surprise. "The conversation between Governor Stiles and I had absolutely nothing to do with Lisbon or this crew," well, it had something to do with Jane…but she wasn't going to tell either of them that. Mashburn already made enough assumptions that she and Jane were secretly going at it, and if he found out about Stiles' comment? Neither she nor Jane would ever rest, "which means I am not going to tell you." Mashburn hurried past her and she frowned. She doubted she had upset Mashburn, but she knew her temper had been absolutely horrible as of late, mainly due to the mention of her father.

Kris ascended the steps to the main deck and found herself nose to nose with Jane, who had apparently decided that the on-hand approach was the best way of making his crew follow directions. She merely sighed at his thinning grin, before she pushed him aside with her hand and barked out orders to the crew, who almost seemed relieved to see her.

"I was doing just fine, Kris." Jane grumbled, after Kris had stepped back from giving orders and followed him into the helm, where Cho remained behind the wheel.

"You weren't doing fine." Cho commented and Kris flashed the stoic navigator a grin. "You were trying to crash us into the island."

"Meh." Jane waved him off, while Kris rolled her eyes; he was still an idiot. "Before my entire crew decides to find themselves being eaten by societal snobs, I thought I would give you your orders for this island." Kris made no movement to encourage him, yet he continued on speaking anyway. "I need you and Rigsby…"

Kris crossed her arms against her chest. "You're sending Rigsby and me? _Together_? Are you asking for a bloodbath, Jane?" Jane grinned. Had he not noticed that she and Rigsby tried to avoid each other as much as possible, mainly because it was like waiting for a volcano to erupt? If the idiot sent them both out together, there was a possibility that one of them (Rigsby) wouldn't be coming back alive. "You're a sadistic…"

"I can't step foot on this island." Jane hastily interrupted. She eyed him. He couldn't step foot on the island? She didn't believe that for one moment. Lisbon had never mentioned that Jane had been banned from _any _island before, when Kris had joined the ship months ago. "It's full of rich people, and I don't do rich people."

"You tolerate Rigsby." Kris pointed out. "You also tolerate me and Mashburn."

Jane nodded in agreement. "You, Rigsby, and Walter are a different kind of "rich". I can't do fancy, rich people." Kris continued to eye him. There really weren't different kinds of "rich", and if Jane had ever met her parents, she'd probably be classified as a pompous rich person.

"Why can't Cho go then?" Kris asked. "He and Rigsby…"

"I will be working." Cho interrupted also to explain and Kris turned her eyes on him. "Jane managed to find a leak in the ship. I want to see if we can patch it." Kris narrowed her eyes, because she had the strongest suspicions that he had caused the leak. Jane acted innocent, but she didn't buy his act for one moment. "I need Jane to help me move things."

"You'd try anything to get out of this, wouldn't you?" Kris taunted and Jane beamed brightly.

"It's my ship, and I'm your Captain." Jane reminded her. "Ergo, you need to go."

"Fine," Kris gave with a sigh, after a few more moments of complete silence and glaring. "I'll go, mainly because I don't trust Rigsby alone." Jane nodded, excitedly. "Considering you want me to go off and explore this island for information, I'd like the name of said island."

"Cho found a crest on Cannibal Cove, which led us straight to Manse Island." Jane responded and Kris froze, as Jane continued to run his mouth. Had Jane just said Manse Island? She tried to mask her fear, but the more Jane ran his mouth, the more nervous she grew. If he had said Manse Island, she was seriously screwed.

Without care, she interrupted him. "Did you say Manse Island?"

"Of course, I did." Jane answered her. Kris stared at him and frowned. She watched his mouth move again, but she couldn't hear a word he was saying. He couldn't honestly expect her to step foot on Manse Island could he? "Rigsby!" She narrowed her eyes; the man knew her last name, obviously and he had probably put two-and-two together, which highly irritated her. _Just because my…_, Kris paused, her thoughts became increasing chaotic. It had been a few years since she had last stepped foot onto the island and if she had her way, it would have been a few more years before she even thought about returning. She didn't want to see her parents, and she certainly didn't want to see the island that she had called home for years either. "There you are!" Kris didn't need to turn to know Rigsby stood behind her. "I need you and Kris…"

"I can't go." Kris interrupted him again and she watched him turn back to her with a grimace.

"You're going." Jane replied.

"No, I'm not." Kris argued. "If you're not going, neither am I." She moved to cross her arms against her chest. "Captain or not, you can't make me go."

"You already agreed." Jane reminded her and she glared at him. The ass had obviously known where he was sending her, for he merely shooed herself and Rigsby off the ship with a wave of the hand. Begrudgingly, she turned on her heels and stalked off the ship with Rigsby close behind her.

On the forest path into the town square, Rigsby spoke for the first time. "You don't look too thrilled with these orders…"

"Obviously not. I'm beyond thrilled." Kris drawled, as she paused to turn and glance at him. Rigsby wore a semi-concerned look and she sneered at him. "I am beyond looking forward to spending the next two or so hours on my home island." Kris sighed, as she waited for him to understand. "Yes," she continued on at his look, "my parents are David and Jenna Saffron, as if Captain Asshole didn't already know that."

She watched Rigsby's jaw drop. "You're from _those _Saffron's?" Kris swore she saw pity in his expression, which made her want to smack him. She honestly didn't need his—or anybody else's—pity. "I didn't…"

"It wasn't exactly common knowledge," Kris informed him, solemnly, "I didn't tell you or anybody else, and I'd prefer it to stay that way." Rigsby slowly nodded and Kris continued on, "When I _do _talk to my parents, I order you to stay quiet. It's nothing against you, it's just…" she paused. What could she honestly say about her parents to Rigsby? The man would never understand. "…they're my parents."

Rigsby nodded. "You left them, didn't you?"

Kris sighed again. Everybody had heard the story; daughter of the richest family leaving, due to "scandal". Of course, the scandal had been false and her father had just wanted to brush the entire thing under the rug with a story. "I did leave them, but not because I got pregnant or anything like that."

"I never thought that." Rigsby responded and Kris almost rolled her eyes. Rigsby probably had believed that, just like every other sheep in the rich society.

At her parents' home, she forced the heavy wooden doors to her father's study open with her hands, before she immediately recognized the tall oak bookshelves filled with religious texts and the ugly furniture (stiff regal chairs decorated with carved diamonds, and the desk her father had lectured her behind for years, on how to be a "proper lady".) that made up her father's study. She trembled, as she stood before her parents and eyed them.

Her father, David Saffron, who had yet to glance up from whatever he held in his hands, didn't look too different from when she had left them both nearly two years ago. David still had short jet black hair and the suit he wore was once again colored the darkest of black, which she thought bitterly, suited his heart and soul just fine.

Her mother, on the other hand, Jenna Saffron, sat next to her husband and had also yet to glance up from whatever text David had handed her, didn't look that different either. Kris couldn't help the small smile across her lips at the familiar sight of her mother, who had her brunette hair swept into a highly eloquent bun and wore a somewhat ill-fitting sapphire dress.

Before she could back down from the situation she was in, Kris cleared her throat lightly and spoke, "I see this place hasn't changed much." Kris glanced at her father with a grimace, though he didn't glance up at her and she thought about stomping her foot on the ground for attention. _No_, she interrupted her trail of thought, _I can't show him anything. _"And look, the statue I call my father remains where I last left him."

David glanced up from his book to stare at her, before he glanced above her head. "Who are you and what are you doing in my home?" Without turning around to face Rigsby, Kris nodded her head for him to answer. Realistically upon giving that order earlier, she had known that her father wouldn't outright ignore Rigsby; her father, while he had pretty much disowned her, cared more about his image than anything else.

"Wayne Rigsby, sir." Rigsby replied. David nodded. "We're here for information."

"We're?" David inquired, coldly, while Kris tensed. "I wasn't aware there was a person named 'we're' in the room, son." Kris continued to grimace; her father's wordplay games, where he had continuously belittled her by pointing out every single mistake she had made via words, reminded her of Jane's meticulous games. It was one of the many reasons why she couldn't even respect Jane.

"I don't…" Rigsby began, and Kris sighed inaudibly.

"Wayne Rigsby and Kristina Saffron, father." Kris interrupted, which made David glance back down at her post-humorously.

"Ah, so you do remember." David replied. She briskly nodded. How could she ever forget those endless years of humiliation at her father's hand? "You're not so useless and worthless, after all." Kris became warm, as she glanced down at her feet in embarrassment. "Now, none one of that, Kristina; I'm sure your…" her father paused to glance at Rigsby with a cold smile. "…whatever your Wayne is, knows how useless you are also." The room went completely silent and Kris briefly glanced up from her feet to find her mother gazing at her; it only served to make her feel more embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Wayne, I believe I know your parents. Steve and Diane Rigsby?"

"Yes, sir." Rigsby answered awkwardly. "Those would be my parents." Any other time, Kris would have rolled her eyes. However, the way her father continued to stare her down made her weary to do so. They both needed information from him, especially for Lisbon's sake.

"…I doubt your parents would be pleased with your choice of wife, Wayne." Her father continued and Kris nearly blanched. She and Rigsby? She heard Rigsby sputter behind her. The entire idea was worse than her and Jane _together_. "Steven is a good man. Governor Bertram praises on him every so often, especially when he and little Gracie visit." Rigsby said nothing. "I should tell you that Kristina has ruined several marriages. She has involved herself in sinful relationships. We tried to save her soul by having Brother Carter propose to her, but she decided that she would rather live her entire life in sin."

Kris gritted her teeth. 'Brother' Carter hadn't saved her; in fact, 'Brother' Carter had continuously undermined her and had used her in more ways than one. The faint scars from his hand still crisscrossed her back.

"I'm not marrying your daughter, sir." Rigsby informed him and David furrowed his brows. She could only just imagine what was going on in his thoughts, but from the way that he continued to glance at her, told her she should put an end to anything marriage related.

"Father," Kris interceded, almost nervously. His full undivided attention was upon her, and it made her squirm. Why couldn't the man look elsewhere, instead of looking her directly in the eyes? "Rigsby and I are looking for information on Red John." David brought his arms across his chest and he fixed her with a cold stare. "Red John kidnapped my best friend, father."

"Is she a sinner like you too?" David asked. Kris flinched; she had thought her father was capable of some type of emotion, but it was clear that he wasn't. "If she wasn't, Red John would have never kidnapped her. Red John saves people. Red John should have taken you." She gritted her teeth together. How dare he think that Red John saved people! Red John was a murderer. Red John was a monster. Red John had her best friend, and all he could do was wish bad things upon them both? She wanted to smack him across the face, but Rigsby grabbed onto her shoulder. Kris violently shrugged him off and crossed her arms against her chest to stare down her father, who continued to smile.

"I might be a sinner," Kris shot in anger, "but at least I don't beat the one person I love most in the world, unlike you." She eyed her mother with a frown, before her father backhanded her across the face. With her cheek stinging, Kris stepped away in surprise. Her father was seriously starting up with all of this crap again? Had he no tact? If it weren't for Rigsby and her mother, her father would be dead on the spot. "Is that the most you've got, _father_? I think you're losing your touch." Kris tried to smirk through her nervousness. "You haven't had somebody to beat in a long time, I understand."

David clenched his fists together. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Kristina. I have never, besides for now, lifted a finger toward you." David's eyes lingered on Rigsby and Kris wanted to pounce; the asshole was crossing a fine line and if he thought she would submit to him again, he had another thing coming to him. "You were an extremely sinful child, Kristina. You…"

"I was not sinful, father!" Kris argued. "I only tried to do everything I could to please you, and you continued to punish me!" David turned his nose up. "I have countless years of scars from you, father! How did you ever expect to explain those to 'Brother' Carter, hm?" She narrowed her eyes into hazel slits; it felt so good to go off on him, but the longer she spoke, the more she waited for his hand across her face again. "Were you going to tell him that they just appeared on me? Did you tell him to continue your one and only mission, father? Did you tell him to try and make me whole?" Her throat felt tight and her vision was blurry with unshed tears, but she wasn't going to cry in front of him or Rigsby. Rigsby needed to believe she was strong and David needed to believe she wasn't a pushover anymore; she wanted to show both men that she was a force not to be reckoned with. However, as her father stood there and she watched the expressions flash across his face: disbelief, anger, and rage, she had a feeling that if Rigsby hadn't been there with her, her father would have killed her. "Carter beat me, father. Is that what you wanted? Is that what you asked him to do?" She tried to keep her voice level, but she couldn't. Timothy Carter had been the fiancé her father had chosen for her, right after she had been forced away from James, and the man had tried to break her. However, he hadn't expected her to know how to fight for her life.

Kris watched David narrow his eyes. "How dare you accuse me of having anybody punish you, Kristina." Her father glowered and she almost wanted to cower, but her pride wouldn't let her back down. "Whatever Brother Carter decided to do to you was his business, as you had belonged to him." David eyed her with a sneer. "Instead, you continued to run off with that ass of a boy, James." Kris flinched again, as if she had been hit across the face. How dare he bring up James! Her father knew absolutely nothing about James and James had been a million times better than Carter ever had been! "Brother Carter tried to cleanse you, daughter. In return, you killed him." Her father looked beyond furious at the idea that she had stabbed her once upon a time fiancé in the leg years ago, and she wondered exactly how he completely ignored the signs of Carter's subsequent torture. _Of course_, Kris thought again, _he just wanted a submissive daughter and wife. He never thought of the consequences_.

"He beat me, father!" Kris objected again; she hoped he would believe her, as she didn't exactly want to show Rigsby her scars. "Did you know that?"

"You're behaving like a spoiled child, Kristina." David responded, mildly to her soft voice and Kris blinked. "Brother Carter didn't touch you; James did. All of those so-called bruises and scars that mark you are from James, Kristina. You shouldn't go around accusing others." Kris felt her blood boil, and she clenched her fists together. James had never hurt her! Without thinking, she launched herself at her father with her fist reared back to punch his lights out, but Rigsby's arm around her abdomen kept her back. No matter how much she fought against his hold, he wouldn't let her go. James had been a wonderful and kind gentleman…the only good and pure thing in her entire life, and her father with Governor Bertram had taken that away from her without thought. "As for you accusing me," his eyes went to Rigsby, "you have no idea how much you leaving affected your mother and me." Kris nearly scoffed, as she tried to calm herself down with Rigsby's arm still wrapped around her; she knew exactly how much it had affected him. David, her father who had unofficially dictated Manse Island for many years, had only wanted an outwardly appearing happy family. Glancing back at her mother, she could see the tattle-tell bruising from where her father had hurt her recently and it suddenly made Kris feel numb. She had escaped, but her mother hadn't. "Your mother cried for days." David glanced to Jenna, who merely nodded submissively in response to David's statement. "I honestly don't see why I should help you, Kristina." Kris took a deep breath. She just wanted to save Lisbon and never step foot onto Manse Island ever again.

"My best friend is missing, father." Kris repeated, softly and Rigsby finally let her go. "I…Rigsby and I need to find her." David continued to eye her coldly. What if he didn't want to help them? What if he turned them away? If she couldn't get the information here, she wondered if they shouldn't just stop looking for Lisbon. It had been three months, and though nobody said anything out loud, she knew they all had begun to believe that the woman was dead. Red John, from what Jane had told her, wasn't about to keep such a walking liability onboard. Her stomach tightened into knots. Had her father known Red John? Had her father ever done business with Red John? It sickened her just thinking about it. "Please, father. I need your help." In that moment, she felt helpless, lost, and weak. Her father had the ultimate power here, and if he helped them, she would forever be in his debt. _What if he makes me come back_? Kris questioned quietly with a tremble. She doubted Jane would let that happen, her being his first mate and all, but what if? Her father would made her go back to all those frilly dresses, he would probably find her a fiancé worse than Carter (if at all possible), and he would break her until she submitted to him. Kris would become docile like her mother, and she knew she couldn't live like that again.

For a few moments, David was quiet. "I may or may not have information on Captain Red John, Kristina." His blue eyes glinted in the firelight from the fireplace and she steadied herself; nothing came without a price, as her father had always said. "The main question here is how much do you want it?"

Kris hesitated.

She wanted to find Lisbon, and she wanted everything on the Scarlet Oasis to go back to normal. Kris missed her best friend, but was whatever David going to tell them worth the ultimate price to be paid?

"I'm a busy man, Kristina." David spoke again, as he moved to cross his arms against his chest. "You either want this information or you don't. I have other things I could be doing right now." Kris couldn't and wouldn't look to Rigsby for guidance, as she opened her mouth to answer him. However, her father continued before she had the chance to speak again. "Your silence tells me you don't want the answer, and I am completely fine with that."

"I…" Kris began.

"I hope your friend burns in Hell, Kristina." David interrupted her with a smirk and Rigsby's arm went around her abdomen again. "I'd rather them die, than someone finding out that I helped _you _save her." She felt Rigsby tense and she wondered how she was going to stop Rigsby, especially if he decided to deck her father. "Who would want to be on this Earth and have you as a friend? Or even as a daughter, for that matter?" Kris tried to struggle against Rigsby's hold to no avail; the man wasn't going to let her go, and probably for good reason. She wasn't just carrying her sword, but she was carrying her knife around also. "It would only bring them disappointment and eternal shame." Kris struggled harder and David continued to smirk. If she could just get from Rigsby's grasp, she could stab the bastard.

"Rigsby! Let me go!" Kris cried, while David laughed in both of their faces. "I'm going to kill you, you son of a…"

"It's not worth it, Kris." Rigsby interrupted her again, quietly. Kris didn't care. Her father was going to kill Lisbon with his damned carelessness! "Your father is baiting you. If you hit him, he'll have us all arrested." It went unspoken that if they all were arrested, Red John and O'Laughlin would win. Kris knew they couldn't have that. "Imagine what the Captain'll do if he has to bail us out of the clink."

Kris blinked. Jane, able swordsman or not, would skin them both alive.

David continued to smirk. "I'm only hoping that the second time is the charm, Kristina." Kris furrowed her brows, confused and annoyed. What the hell was he talking about? David stepped toward her and Rigsby pulled her back slightly. "Jenna, stand to show our disgraced _daughter_." David motioned for his wife to stand and she did so. Kris gasped, as she stared at her mother. Suddenly, the ill-fitting sapphire dress made more sense.

Jenna, her mother, was pregnant.

Kris felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had a strong feeling that her father had forced this pregnancy upon her mother, considering her mother had once said that she didn't want to bring another child into the world with David.

"I'm five months along, Kristina." Jenna told her, softly and David wrapped his arm around her waist, which made Kris feel ill.

"I was surprised when she announced her pregnancy to me. We had tried so long and so hard to have another child after you, and this child will be our pride and joy." David explained, while his fingers danced across Jenna's pregnant stomach. "This child will be nothing like you. I will make sure of it." Kris clenched her teeth together. Who would let anybody allow him to bring a child into the world? Hadn't the first time been bad enough? She took a moment to shake her head. There was a time for those thoughts, and right now, just wasn't it. It was bad enough that her father had thought he could "make" the child better, but the fact that the child had been created to replace her? "I am beyond overjoyed that Jenna did not lose this child, as I feared something was wrong with her."

"You asshole." Kris spat; her blood was boiling again. He just couldn't stop, could he? "There's nothing wrong with her, it's all you! If you'd stop pushing her down…" David took a step closer to her and interrupted her with another hand to the face. Rigsby wisely remained silent.

"Leave." David ordered them both.

"With pleasure." Kris returned and Rigsby let her go. With that, she turned on her heels and rushed out the study doors. She slammed the wooden door behind her so hard that the crystal chandelier above her head shook, and she felt the tears well up in her eyes.

She couldn't cry through; her father was still there, as was Rigsby, who probably thought she was weak and insecure. If she stayed around, Rigsby would make jokes and he would tell Jane about her breakdown. Without caring if Rigsby was close behind, she ran out the front door and started toward the darkening woods, where her foot caught on something and she tumbled to the ground.

On the ground, surrounded by trees and dying grass, she broke down into a series of heart wrenching sobs. How was she going to save Lisbon, if she couldn't even handle her own demons?

* * *

><p>Jane drummed his fingers against the navigation table, as Cho stared down at the schematics of the ship. Kris and Rigsby had been gone for almost two hours and while Jane appreciated the quietness, he was bored. Cho wouldn't let him around the wheel and the man also wouldn't let him run off to his quarters.<p>

"Do you think their okay?" Jane asked Cho, who glanced up from the schematics to fix him with a stare.

"If you were worried, you should have gone." Cho stated.

"You needed my help." Jane answered him and Cho blinked.

"I didn't need your help." Cho replied. "You insisted on being an annoyance." Jane shot the man a bright grin.

"It's my ship," Jane offered. "I'm supposed to make sure you aren't trying to sink it." Cho stared at him. "I don't think Mashburn would be too happy with us, if we had to buy a new ship."

"You're an idiot." Cho said. Jane raised both of his eyebrows. "I'm not calling you captain right now."

"On some ships, you'd be killed for gross subordination." Jane retorted and Cho continued to stare. "I could start implicating that here. Every time Kris refuses to call me Captain, I'll cut a finger off."

"She'd still only kick your ass with two fingers." Cho informed him. Jane couldn't help but chuckle in agreement. Kris knew how to fight; he'd give her that. "They'll be back soon. We'll continue from there." He hoped so, because he wanted the information on Red John. Jane watched Cho go back to staring down at his charts, before he glanced back out to the lush island of Manse with a frown. It had been almost seven years since he had last stepped foot onto the island; he and Lisbon had been chasing after a Red John lead, which had led them straight to that island. While he and Lisbon had been chasing down the lead, he had noticed a pair of teenagers—a male and female—mulling around in the town square. The boy, Jane remembered quietly, hadn't looked too different from any other rich boy; his outfit had consisted of a white shirt and dark pants paired with short brown hair. Jane had pointed out to Lisbon that the "little rich boy" had apparently found love in the form of a pauper, for the girl hadn't been dressed in a dress. Lisbon had merely rolled her eyes and stomped off, while he had continued to grin at her.

The pauper female had immediately intrigued and confused him; she had the mannerisms of someone from a rich family, but she wasn't dressed like them. As Lisbon stomped away from him in irritation, he continued to watch the two teens. It wasn't until the female had stepped slightly forward though, that he noticed something wasn't quite right. The brunette female seemed as if she was in pain with every jarring step she took, and the boy seemed to look highly distressed. _She probably had broken ribs_, Jane continued to remember. The sight of the teenager though had shaken him so badly, that he hadn't been able to follow anymore leads on the island.

When Lisbon had asked him why; he stated that he had decided that there was nothing else there, when in fact, it just reminded him of his own lost little girl. He hadn't been able to tell her that though, because he didn't want her jumping to any ill conclusions; Jane had loved his daughter dearly, and he had never once raised a hand toward her, but the idea that somebody had raised a hand to anybody's daughter? It had made him sick to his stomach and had prevented him from taking one step on the island ever again.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by Mashburn's alarmed voice atop the deck, "…What happened?" Jane didn't think twice to peek over the railing to see the scene unfolding from down below. Mashburn stood with his arms folded against his chest, while Rigsby and Kris (who had apparently returned from Manse Island) stood extremely close together. Rigsby looked fine, but Kris, with her torn clothes and dirt crusted face, appeared as if she had gotten into a fight and lost.

_Does that mean good news_? Jane pondered, quietly, as he ascended down the helm steps and stood next to Mashburn with a small frown.

"I thought I told you to bring back information, not to go play in the sandbox." Jane remarked and Kris, who stood in front of him, wore a frown. He waited for her to refute him, but nothing came. "Did you actually find any information, Kris?" Kris remained silent and he found himself becoming slightly annoyed at her behavior. The woman was his first mate and she wouldn't even answer him? He moved one of his hands toward her, when Rigsby interrupted his movement.

"Captain, she's…" Rigsby began.

"I'm fine." Kris responded, hoarsely and Jane knew she was lying through her teeth. Had something she had done on the island, prevented them from getting the information that they needed? If it had, he was going to kill her. He clenched his fists, before she spoke again. "We didn't get anything." Jane's blood boiled; he had sent her onto the island in hopes for information and she had returned with absolutely nothing? His hand went for his sword. He had absolutely no plans to kill her, but he wanted a damned explanation out of her.

"What do you mean you didn't get anything?" Jane asked, bitterly.

"We tried, Captain." Rigsby stated, before Kris had the chance to open her mouth. "We…"

"I sent you _both _onshore to get information and you _both _come back empty handed?" Jane questioned in blind rage. Kris flinched before him, but he didn't care. The woman deserved to be backhanded for her subordination. "You both had better explain." He tapped his foot against the deck, while Kris said nothing.

"Captain," Rigsby tried to start again. Jane ignored him. "Kris…"

"We didn't get anything," she repeated again.

Jane took a deep breath; he needed his crew and once again, Lisbon would kill him if he killed Kris. "What do you mean?" He repeated.

"What does it sound like it meant?" Kris snapped. "We didn't get anything, okay? Leave me the fuck alone." Before he could address her, she spun on her heels and stomped off.

"I'm not finished with you!"

"I'm finished with you, asshole." Kris spat without turning around. Jane watched her leave the main deck, before he turned to stare at Rigsby.

"What the _hell _is her problem?" Jane seethed. Kris had just completely disrespected him in front of his crew, and hadn't heeded his orders! As far as he was concerned, the woman needed to be punished.

"Captain," Rigsby tried to explain again. "She…"

Jane ignored him again, as he interrupted the man with his next orders. "She and I are going to have a little chat. If I see _anybody _down there with us, I will make sure to skin you all alive." He didn't wait for a response from Rigsby or Mashburn, as he hurried after her and down the stairs into the crew quarters to find her.

"What the hell is your problem?" Jane spat. Kris had her back turned to him, which only served to make him angrier. He deserved her complete and total respect, no matter what she may or may not have believed. "I gave you and Rigsby _one _order to complete and you both can't even follow that?" Kris didn't turn around to look at him, and he continued on. "We're not finished, Kris. Turn around and face me."

"I don't think so." Kris responded, coldly and Jane narrowed his eyes. Was she really going to continue to disobey his orders? His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. "I told you to leave me the fuck alone, Jane. I'm not in the mood."

"Oh, you're not in the mood?" Jane threw back at her and he watched her tense. "Was Lisbon in the mood when she was kidnapped?" Kris flinched again, as she spun around to face him—her eyes were slightly red and her body was shaking. "Oh please, don't cry. It's not going to get you out of…" He barely had the time to blink, before her hand ripped across his face. Jane stumbled back in surprise, while she stared him down.

"You asshole. You pretend to have absolutely _no _idea what you sent me into." Kris said. "Sending Rigsby with me was one thing, but coming after me? You have absolutely no sense of logic, do you?" Jane furrowed his eyebrows; he had asked Rigsby to go with her, just to make sure that she didn't end up getting kidnapped too. "Obviously your silence tells me you're an idiot, which I already knew." If Kris thought she was going to scare him, she was dense.

"Well, what did I send you into?" Jane asked.

Kris narrowed her eyes. "Like you don't know."

"I don't know!" Jane replied.

"Liar!" Kris cried. "That's a load of bullshit and you know it!" She stomped past him again, before she turned to look at him. "If you want to know what you've done, go ask Rigsby. Tell him the useless and worthless first mate sent you! I'm sure he'll know who's sending you." Kris left the room, and Jane was hot on her heels; if she thought their fight was over, she had another thing coming to her.

"Don't you mean you?"

"Yes, Jane. Me." Kris gritted out, without turning around to face him. "Go. Away. I've had it."

"It's just like you," Jane threw, "to always run away and cry. You could never face your demons! You've probably just cost Lisbon her life, thanks to your inability to follow my simple order! What do I have to do?" He continued to scream. "Spell them out for you? Hold up a sign?" He knew exactly where she was headed, and it made him even angrier. Kris wasn't first mate material, and heading toward the first mate's bedroom, just demeaned the title even more.

"No Jane, you don't!" Kris replied; she didn't turn around to face him again, as she neared her destination. "It isn't my incapability to follow orders that got us into this mess; it is your constant need to be the most selfish person in the entire world! Caring about your own need for revenge, instead of considering how other people feel!" Kris placed her hand against the door. "If it doesn't help you find Red John, you don't want to hear it." Jane narrowed his eyes. That wasn't true! He cared about his entire crew, and when it came down to it, they were more important than Red John. Kris obviously didn't know him as well as she thought. "Instead, you just go after them for having feelings." She opened the door and went inside, before she turned to face him with her cold glare. "Like you're doing to me right now!" Without another word, she attempted to slam the door in his face. _I don't think so_, he thought, as he grabbed the door before it slammed shut. Jane managed to throw his entire weight against the entire door, which threw it open and caused Kris to crash to the floor; he slammed the door behind him, and Kris stood up to push him backwards against the door.

He felt the uncomfortable doorknob push into his back and he grimaced. "You think you know me don't you?"

"Oh, I know you." Kris retorted. "It's doesn't take a fucking genius to figure you out. Lisbon had you pinned as an egotistical asshole. Cho had you pinned as a moron, and Rigsby has a fluctuating opinion of you. It changes daily." Jane bristled in anger. Kris had absolutely no right to mention Lisbon, especially as this entire thing was Kris's fault. If the bitch had just stayed where they had found her, Lisbon would still be there and the crew would be much happier.

"You have no idea what Lisbon's thinking!" Jane stated and Kris mirthlessly chuckled.

"I spent every day with her, Jane!" Kris responded, as she poked her finger into his chest. "Every morning I had breakfast with her! I had a _real _conversation with her, outside of Red John." Kris poked her finger into his chest again, and he almost wanted to push back at her, but he knew he couldn't. "What did you do? Annoy her to no end? Make her job that much harder? Belittle her?" Jane furrowed his brows again; he had never purposely belittled Lisbon, and if he had, she knew it was a joke. Kris's argument was pointless, and she was just being a complete bitch. "Then, you decided to get her kidnapped!" Jane shoved her away from him, and she stumbled backwards, as he pulled himself to his full height. Lisbon's kidnapping wasn't his fault! "Oh yes, Jane. You were just absolutely brilliant with her. Let me tell you." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, and though he wanted to punch her, he couldn't. The Scarlet Oasis had various rules against that happening.

"I've never hurt Lisbon!" Jane stated and Kris laughed again. "O'Laughlin hurt Lisbon! You hurt Lisbon…"

"I _hurt _Lisbon?" Kris questioned. "I _hurt _Lisbon? Jane, what the hell are you on?" Jane grimaced. "Are you drunk? I wouldn't be completely shocked, especially as you can't seem live without the bottle."

"What in the hell are you implying?" Jane roared, as he stepped closer to her.

"What does it sound like I'm implying, you idiot!" Kris cried. "Use your brain, if you've got one!" He raised his fist, rules or not, she wasn't going to get away with that one.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **Seriously? I don't think so.

Thanks to Frogster for the review; it was much appreciated!

It should be pointed that this chapter is the most important chapter; this chapter took months of planning and was constantly discussed with my pseudo writing partner, loveconquersallxxx. Please note, the rating has been upped due to sexual situations (imagined or otherwise), which hadn't been orginally planned on.

* * *

><p><strong>8—<strong>

"I told ye to move, bitch."

Lisbon braced herself for the familiar sting of Jacobs' whip across her slender back, as the chains attached to her wrists kept her knees planted firmly on the dirt ground. She bit her lower lip and clenched her fists together, while she stared down at the blood-spotted floor to keep herself quiet. It seemed that Jacobs took some kind of sadistic pleasure in reopening her old wounds—especially if she cried out in pain—from both his own hand and her father's, which was why she had trained herself to remain nearly mute.

She felt the leather bite into her already raw back with a lurch. Jacobs, she knew from experience, wouldn't quit hitting her until she either had passed out or O'Laughlin interrupted, which continued to occur quite frequently. Although, Lisbon hadn't wanted to tell O'Laughlin about her lack of mobility, she had told him through her exhaustion. Between Jacobs' whip, which kept her frail legs and back stripped raw, and the continuous vomiting that she did from the constant force feeding, most days she was lucky if she could make it to the bathroom pot, let alone, follow the orders from Jacobs' to move.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Jacobs?" Lisbon heaved an inaudible sigh at O'Laughlin's voice, as she unclenched her fists and stopped biting her lip, which now had a coppery taste. Without a doubt, she knew she had bit through her lip yet again. "I thought I made it perfectly clear; she is not supposed to be touched!"

Lisbon flinched. O'Laughlin sounded pissed.

She barely had the time to think, before he unlatched the chains around her raw wrists and settled her gently on the ground. Lisbon stifled another sigh; she had been stuck on her knees for a while, and because of that, sleep had been nearly impossible to achieve. She closed her eyes, while she listened to the angry voices of O'Laughlin and Jacobs.

"…not the Capt'n!" Jacobs argued.

"In case you've forgotten, Jacobs. I'm the first mate for this crew, not you." O'Laughlin answered, spitefully. "When Captain Red John isn't here, you do what I say." She heard something move. "If you touch her again, your death is imminent." Even within the haze of her exhaustion, Lisbon felt her hope swell again. O'Laughlin would stop the punishments and he would make Jacobs go away forever; even if she couldn't escape from the Red Rum, it was the smallest of consolations.

Lisbon heard the light sound of footsteps fading away, before O'Laughlin's voice broke through the silence.

"You shouldn't hide your reactions from me." She didn't react to his soft voice; her exhaustion was winning for her attention. "How long has it been since you've slept?"

"A while," she admitted quietly. O'Laughlin liked honesty. He wouldn't punish her if she was honest.

"I'm sure you're tired." O'Laughlin responded and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. It wasn't exactly a secret that she was exhausted; she was tired of all the beatings, tired of not being able to move, tired of the constant state of exhaustion she was always in, and the fact that Jane still hadn't found her yet. She heard footsteps again, before she felt her head being lifted up and being rested back down on something semi-soft moments later.

She opened her eyes to find O'Laughlin starting down at her with a soft smile and she recoiled in trepidation; he was going to hit her! She tried to buck her head from his lap, but he wouldn't let her with a firm hand on her head.

"None of that." O'Laughlin softly muttered, as she felt him move his hand to pet her hair. She stared up at him, unblinkingly, and tried to calm her panic at his soft touch; she didn't want him touching her. She didn't like him touching her. It felt wrong. It was dirty. "I'm not going to hurt you." He hadn't done anything to her yet, but it didn't mean that he wouldn't just suddenly start. O'Laughlin, even though he stopped Jacobs from going too far, had not completely proved himself to her yet. "I'm truly sorry about him. You have no idea how much it kills me to watch him do that to you, especially when you don't deserve it." She made no movement to speak. Lisbon knew from Jacobs's irate mutterings that the first mate of the Red Rum had tried on more than one occasion to stop him completely. "Jacobs has an extremely high amount of respect for our Captain, as so do I. In turn, you want us to use your name? You will need to earn it." If she didn't fear what he would (or could) have done to her, she would have scoffed at his statement. Why would she want their damned respect? The Red Rum had a horrible crew, and their so-called Captain was one twisted piece of work; a feared killer and pirate, who traveled from island to island to kill women and plunder. O'Laughlin said nothing for a few moments, while he continued to pet her hair. Red John didn't deserve respect, in her opinion. "I can tell what you're thinking," O'Laughlin glanced down at her with a soft smile, "and I want to tell you that you haven't heard the entire story."

Lisbon blinked. Jane had told her the entire story; before Red John had murdered his wife and child, he had publically slandered the pirate captain. He wouldn't have lied to her about that, would he have?

"You have been told by your Captain his story of Red John, but there are details of that incident that I feel you deserve to know. Things that he has been hiding from you." O'Laughlin continued, softly. "Reasons that he was too ashamed to speak of and given that I have heard from both sides, it does not come as a shock that he wouldn't tell you or anyone else for that matter." What hadn't he told her? What hadn't he saw fit to trust her with now? Jane hadn't said anything about O'Laughlin being the first mate, and they had been sailing together for eight years. Had he found reasons not to consider her trustworthy anymore? If so, what had she done or said to change that? "Red John did not kill your Captain's wife and child just for slander. In fact, there was a much darker reason. After your Captain slandered mine, Red John did a bit of asking around about him. He discovered some vital information about Jane's marriage." Lisbon eyed O'Laughlin, carefully. Jane's marriage had always been a taboo subject, however she never knew why. He had seemed to love his wife deeply, but why couldn't he talk about it? It had never made much sense to her. "Your Captain was unfaithful to his wife on numerous occasions." All she heard was numerous occasions. It repeated over and over in her mind. She and Jane had always been close with each other. Several people, like Kris and Bret Stiles, had commented that their relationship could have been something more than just a close friendship. At the time, she had waved them both off, but the more she had been aboard the Red Rum, she had been considering the possibility of her and Jane more. Hearing that Jane had been unfaithful to his wife though? It had absolutely broken her spirits. She knew that Jane was something of a womanizer, but she had never thought that his womanizing personality had extended into, what she had always thought, had been a healthy and happy marriage. He had already been keeping numerous secrets from her, but if he couldn't even trust her with those vital details, how could they ever have a relationship? A relationship was based off mutual trust and respect, and if they ever did enter into a relationship, she knew she would be in constant fear of not getting the entire truth; the truth, she had thought, that they had and the more O'Laughlin continued with this story, the less she respected her Captain. "You need to understand Red John has extremely deep feelings about infidelity, and what your Captain was doing to his wife and child, was cruel. He only wanted to kidnap Jane's wife and child to teach a lesson, but his wife put up a fight and he was forced to kill them both." O'Laughlin briefly paused, before he continued to speak again. "Not by choice, as Angela was strong. It was in self-defense."

O'Laughlin grew silent again and Lisbon frowned. Was O'Laughlin telling the truth? As far as she had been able to tell, he hadn't lied to her so far and he had been the only honest person on the Scarlet Oasis. O'Laughlin had always managed to tell her what Jane had done or what he was planning, with or without Jane's knowledge.

"Why are you telling me this?" Lisbon asked in a rasp; if it _was _the truth, it didn't mean he had to tell her.

"Because you deserve to know and my Captain feels that you need to know the truth." O'Laughlin replied. "He feels like you're ready to hear this." Hear what? Lisbon furrowed her brows in confusion. Was there something else O'Laughlin and Red John knew that she didn't? "Do you think you know everything about my Captain?" Lisbon wanted to nod. Of course she did. She and Jane had spent countless months studying the evasive Captain of the Red Rum. "Did you know I trust him with my life? He has never hurt me, he has never hit me, and he most certainly has never lied to me." She was beyond thankful that she didn't have the strength to move her hand, because it would have spoken volumes to O'Laughlin. Lisbon tried not to remember, but Jane had been irate (and very drunk) months ago and she had said something that he hadn't liked; his hand had found her cheek and Kris had nearly ripped his head off. "You may not believe me, considering how your Captain runs the Scarlet Oasis. But, Red John has never kept secrets and has never gotten me shot either."

Out of everything she did know, O'Laughlin had been the one to shoot her not Jane. She had obviously been the one to see him point his weapon at Jane, before she had jumped in front of him and she had been the one to feel the bullet rip through her shoulder.

"Of course, he wouldn't tell you." O'Laughlin pulled his hand away from her hair, as he spoke again. "When I sailed aboard the Scarlet Oasis, your Captain had demanded that I shoot you."

"No." Lisbon objected. There was no way in _hell_, Jane could have shot her. Lying was one thing, but trying to kill her? Jane wouldn't do that. They were best friends. What reason would he have to do such a thing?

O'Laughlin fixed her with a firm stare, as he resumed petting her. "Why would I lie to you? My Captain has ordered me to tell you the whole truth, and my punishment for not following through is death." She said nothing in response. "But I understand why you doubt me, I really do. If I found out my Captain had manipulated another to kill me just to replace me, I'd doubt the information also." Jane had never said anything about replacing her and O'Laughlin hadn't pulled the trigger on Jane's orders. It just wasn't possible. "Weeks before I shot you, you might remember a series of conversations occurring between myself and your Captain?" Her heart dropped into her stomach; she remembered them very well, because when she had asked Jane about it, Jane had merely ignored her. "In those secret conversations, your Captain lamented getting rid of you and bringing Kristina Saffron on board."

Kris? Jane and Kris couldn't even get along! If O'Laughlin's story was even a little bit true, which she highly doubted, that would mean Kris and Jane would have had a past together. Something she knew without a doubt that they didn't have.

"I know it's hard to believe, but your Captain and your so-called best female friend have a past." She wanted to argue with him, but he continued to speak before she could. "I'm sure Kristina has told you about her past; her misunderstood parents, her manipulated friends, and her past adventures. I'm also positive that you might recall a certain weeklong stay on Jubilee Island, nearly three years ago?" She did remember. She hadn't seen Jane that entire week and nobody on the crew would tell her where he was. "Your Captain had run into Kristina at the Ruby Bar and being old friends with Kristina from her adolescent years, they both hit it off extremely well. They spent the week rekindling their friendship, which eventually shifted into romance."

A romance between Kris and Jane? Lisbon still highly doubted that something like that would occur between them both ever. They strongly disliked each other and the very idea sent shivers down her spine. They wouldn't do something like that to her, would they?

"I know this is hard to believe, especially given the relationship that you've seen between them." O'Laughlin explained. "To you, they are always fighting. However, think about this: we all know your Captain is an accomplished thespian; he's able to get away with a lot, because of his charm and personality." Lisbon couldn't argue. Jane knew how to get exactly what he wanted, no matter the cost to her or to anyone else. "He knows how to play people. He played you. And Kristina, well…" O'Laughlin paused to smile down at her. She wished she could have punched him. "You know she is able to lie and keep secrets. Given how evasive she is to people's questions; was she ever evasive when you asked her about her past? Did you ever think she was hiding something from you? That maybe, just maybe, she wasn't telling you the entire truth."

There was probably a lot that Kris hadn't told her, specifically the relationship between her and Jane. It was all starting to make sense; Kris had been found on Jubilee Island, the very island that Jane had hooked up with the brunette on nearly three years ago. They had no _real _reason being on that island when she had found Kris, except for the fact that Jane had wanted to have some "fun". Lisbon tried to keep her anger from showing, but what did Kris have that she didn't? She tried to tell herself it wasn't because she hadn't been sexually active for almost a year now.

"I'm sure you're wondering how I know all of this; in those brief conversations that I'm sure you remember us sharing, he talked about dear Kristina." Lisbon felt a headache coming on. Why did Kris get everything she wanted? It wasn't fair. "He talked about how beautiful she was inside and out. How he made her feel alive again; it was almost like he had never lost his wife and child."

What had Kris said to make him feel that way? What about her made him forget everything? Lisbon felt nauseated; she had been with the captain for eight years and had never made him feel that way. Yet, Kris had been with him for one week. Lisbon stared up at O'Laughlin, unblinkingly, and waited for him to speak again.

"He said to me, "She makes me forget everything that has haunted me, Craig. I don't know why, but she does." He confided in me his passionate feelings for her, even years after his visit to Jubilee Island." O'Laughlin stated, and Lisbon suddenly became appreciative of the hand petting her hair. It felt almost comforting and it had begun to sooth her stomach. "He just didn't know how to tell you, so he asked me to do him a favor. He asked me to get rid of you, to shoot you. You see, he knew you. He knew you wouldn't let him kick you off the crew. He figured if I shot you instead, you wouldn't blame him. You'd always be on the hunt for me and he could later use that against you."

O'Laughlin was right. Jane had a talent of twisting things away from his self to always pin on someone else. The longer she stared at O'Laughlin, the longer she suddenly became flooded with guilt; O'Laughlin had been wronged also and she felt like a complete idiot for believing both Jane and Kris.

"You see, I was used too. He only wanted me around to get you out of the way. So, when Red John came to me after what had happened to you, I was more than willing to take the role offered." Did that mean that Red John was much better than Jane? Red John had killed so many, but Jane had manipulated a lot more. In the back of her mind, she knew she had been his useless pawn and it made her angry. "Because you see, you and I are not so different. You and I have something in common; we were even betrayed by someone we thought we trusted, and for what? For their selfish pride?" O'Laughlin scoffed. "It's not right. You deserved better and my Captain agreed." She eyed him. "You see, I told my Captain the story of what happened on the Scarlet Oasis. Do you want to know what he said to me?"

"Yes," Lisbon replied, after a moment of complete silence.

O'Laughlin continued to smile. "He said, "We need to save her. Save her from her Captain. He might end up killing her before she even has the chance to heal."."

Lisbon flinched slightly and thought of her wounded shoulder. After O'Laughlin had shot her and left, Jane had never taken her to a doctor, not even when the wound had taken on an infection. Jane, her best friend, had wanted her dead and he wanted to replace her with somebody else, because she wasn't good enough for him.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering why your Captain would choose someone like Kristina over you. You must be hurt and I know how it feels; your Captain took my fiancée, Grace away from me." Lisbon kept her eyes focused on O'Laughlin, as he tried to shake the memory away from him with the closing of his eyes. She waited for him to speak again. "Let's get into the mindset of your Captain for a moment, shall we? Think about dear Kristina; her long brunette hair that passes her shoulders, her hazel eyes that pierce right through your skin when she glares, her laugher which has a musical-like quality to it, and the way she continues to carry herself: confident and poised."

Jane liked women who could take control, who could stand tall in confidence and apparently, she couldn't do any of that. It didn't matter that she had been his first mate for eight years and that she had saved his ass many times, because Kris was better. Kris had always been better. Jane trusted and loved Kris. Kris had stabbed her in the back.

"You know her, she is a spitfire. She says what is on her mind and most people are not _that _cutthroat." O'Laughlin said. "We all know your Captain appreciates a good debate every now and then. She challenged him, but what about you?" Lisbon had tried to challenge him, she honestly had. Jane didn't want to listen to her though, he never had. "Or was there ever a time that you knew you should challenge him, but you just couldn't? If you didn't, I understand."

Lisbon felt her cracked lips move into a small smile, only to taste more blood. O'Laughlin understood which made her feel somewhat better.

"It is hard to argue with him, because he thinks he's always right. Just when you think you've said the one thing to knock him down, he comes back with something that drags you ten feet under." O'Laughlin was right again, she realized. Jane knew how to hit someone where it hurt the most. If someone on the crew had ever bad mouthed Jane, the pirate captain would hurl a hurtful insult back to the amusement of the entire crew. The Scarlet Oasis crew, the people she had thought were her family, were nothing more than bad people; liars, cheats, and murderers. "At first, you're angry because he has accused you of being a certain way. However, you then start to feel sick, because you start thinking and accepting that he might be right and that you are wrong. It makes you feel like a complete idiot."

Yes, every single time that Jane had felt the need to correct her, she had felt like that. Nobody liked being painted out as an idiot and Jane had embarrassed her far too many times.

"I'm sure after the first few incidents of this; you started to have anxiety about ever approaching him about something important, because you were afraid of how he would respond." O'Laughlin moved his hand from her shoulder to give her hand a gentle squeeze. He truly did understand, she realized. O'Laughlin had gotten out from Patrick Jane way before he could be used, even more than she had been. "Here, we listen to each other. We value opinions of everyone on this crew, and we don't have secrets. My Captain will listen and take the time to address you without insult, when you have something insightful to add."

The Red Rum and Red John didn't sound too bad, especially if O'Laughlin felt such strong loyalties to his Captain. She felt horrible though; Red John and O'Laughlin had only been trying to help her, and all she had done was spit insult after insult toward them both. She owed them both an apology later on.

"Now, look at Patrick. Did he ever think about anyone else before himself and Kristina? Did he ever take into account the opinions or feelings of others? Or did he just act on selfish impulse? Was his reasoning to you ever, "Just because I said so" or "I'm your Captain"?" O'Laughlin asked. Lisbon tried to nod, but it only served to hurt her further. "Don't do that. You'll hurt yourself. You've already been hurt enough emotionally to last several lifetimes, and I'm truly sorry about that."

What could she say to that? She was supposed to hate O'Laughlin, but how could she hate him if he had saved her? Jane was going to kill her, and he had found some way, against all odds, to keep her alive. How could she ever repay him? How could she ever say thank you?

"Not your fault." Lisbon muttered, as she tried to squeeze his hand. "Manipulated us." It took energy from her to speak, but upon seeing the bright smile that crossed O'Laughlin's face, her heart soared within her chest.

"It's not your fault either." O'Laughlin addressed, softly. "We only do all of this," he motioned around the cell with his hand, "to help you. You've been poisoned against us for so long now; you needed to know that we only do these things to save you. If we hadn't, your Captain and Kristina would have killed you themselves."

Lisbon didn't doubt him or question him; she had been countlessly lied too, used many times over, and if she had been in his position, she would have done the same, but something _still _told her that Jane and Kris weren't going to kill her.

"Looking for me?" Lisbon asked and O'Laughlin frowned.

"They aren't looking for you." O'Laughlin softly said. It broke her heart even further. "Jane, Kristina, and the rest of the crew are celebrating your disappearance." Lisbon sharply inhaled; that couldn't be true. Mashburn, Cho and Rigsby would have never left her, even if Jane had instructed them to kill her. "I know it's hard to believe, but I have a letter sent from a friend." O'Laughlin shifted slightly to pull several folded sheets of parchment from inside his pocket. "My Captain feared leaving you on the Scarlet Oasis alone, so we had someone aboard until we could save you. He got back three days ago."

Lisbon eyed the letter in his hand. She needed to see the proof, but would he just hand it over?

"Would you like me to read this?" O'Laughlin questioned, and although his voice had begun to sooth her, she knew she had to see the letter with her own eyes in order to believe him.

"No."

"Would you like to read it by yourself?"

"No."

O'Laughlin tilted his head slightly in confusion. "You have to tell me what you want. I promise I won't hit you, like your Captain did."

"Stay." Lisbon didn't want to read the letter on her own. What if there was another thing in the letter she couldn't take? At least with O'Laughlin there, he could help her cope.

"You want to read the letter with me here?"

"Yes."

O'Laughlin gave her another bright smile, as he placed the letter in her hand and lifted the same hand, so she could read whatever had been written in the dim candlelight. Her eyes skimmed the first piece of heavy parchment and several things stuck out to her, as O'Laughlin continued to rub circles into her hand.

_...One day after you saved Teresa, Capt. Jane made Kris his first mate. One week after you saved her, they were together…Several weeks later, I overheard a conversation in the first mate's bedroom between them both: Kris believed they should have killed Teresa before O'Laughlin got his hands on her, just in case he sent the "useless bitch" back. Capt. Jane had laughed, before he said: "Dead isn't good enough for her. At least on the Red Rum, she'll get what she deserves; the unrighteous bitch."…_

Lisbon felt her throat constrict and tears sting her eyes. O'Laughlin hadn't lied; they really _did _want her dead. What had she ever done, besides get between them and their relationship, to make either wish death upon her? O'Laughlin pulled the first letter from her weak grasp, to which she mewed pitifully.

"You'll get these back, I promise." O'Laughlin comforted. "I just wanted you to not use your strength to flip pages." She appreciated that, though she had wanted to keep her hands on the entire letter. Jane had lied to her and Kris wasn't any better. Lisbon scowled. Both Jane and Saffron clearly deserved each other and she hoped Red John would murder them both in cold blood.

Lisbon went back to scanning, her hands shaking in anger:

… "_Should we save her?" Kris asked. "We could always lock her away and nobody would question us; I'm the first mate, you're the Captain." Capt. Jane scoffed at her. "No, Kris. Red John will take care of her for us. She has no family left who will care if we don't find her, the crew certainly doesn't care, and we have better things to do, like this…" I had no idea what they had done until much later, but when they came out of the room, their clothes were askew and Capt. Jane had just boxers on… _

Lisbon felt absolutely disgusted; they had made love in her bedroom? She had all her memories there. She had lived in that room for _eight years_ and now that she was gone, Saffron had used her first mate bedroom to whore herself out within. She tried not to imagine what they had done behind closed doors—her imagination was extremely vivid; she felt a sudden burst of heat spread throughout her groin—and before she could stop herself, she imagined Saffron and Jane lying on her bed, intimately.

_Saffron pulled down Jane's pants and put her lithe hand down his boxers to caress his hot sex. Saffron's lips attached to his, as she pushed him back and began to undress him, while Jane undressed her; their clothing soon became a part of the cluttered floor. Lisbon tried to ignore the black bra that had fallen atop her own clothes and the whispering between the two. In the flickering candlelight, they both glowed as Saffron's naked breasts skimmed against his muscled, hairless chest. The brunette's hands were pressed against his face, while she allowed her lover to explore her body with his fiery touch. Both of them pressed together, still glowing in the candlelight with soft smiles for one another, looked like something Lisbon could never compete with._

_Saffron giggled at something Jane whispered into her ear, as he gently flipped her over and pinned her to the bed. His hips, Lisbon imagined, were narrow and his bare buttocks were tight, along with his lean muscular legs that tangled with Saffron's sun-kissed legs. Jane guided himself slowly, inch by inch, inside until he had completely embedded his erected manhood inside of her. He began to slowly rotate his hips, as he rocked inside her over and over again. Saffron had her hands buried within his hair, her eyes closed with an expression of pure ecstasy on her face, as she moved her own body with a frenzied need for more. Jane granted her wishes; he increased his rhythm and Saffron answered his thrusting hips with a guttural moan, before she sucked air through her teeth. Jane continued to rock his hips against hers, while sweat dotted his brow, as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to climax inside of her. In turn, he gave her a great, shuttering cry in relief. _

_His cry sent her over the edge, as she released herself and dragged her nails down his back. Jane grinned, wildly before he pressed his lips against hers, his tongue slipped between her parted wet lips and swept inside her; his hot sex still buried deep between her legs. He carefully removed himself from inside her, as he probably couldn't stand to hurt his precious Kristina Saffron, before he trailed a line of soft kisses from her neck to her stomach to her outer thighs, while her chest rose and fell at an unsteady pace. With his lips still against her outer thighs, he nudged her legs apart and moved his lips to tease her inner thighs with light kisses, as she grabbed his shoulders tightly. Jane, with the teasing smile she had always thought he reserved just for her, whisked air across the bitch's clit to torture her more, before he moved to suck teasingly at the other thigh. Lisbon could imagine the moans of pleasure from Saffron that filled the air, which only made Lisbon want to suffocate her more. _

_Jane didn't use his words as he stopped sucking, but Saffron spreads her legs further for him anyway—she's always been easy, Lisbon thought with spite—just so he is able to insert his moist tongue into her. Saffron's guttural moan filled the air again, as Jane burrowed his tongue deeper within her dripping wet clit. Lisbon could imagine his tongue seductively circling the inside of Saffron's clit; sampling all of her liquids with the tip of his tongue, until he is able to drink her in, due to her explosion of ecstasy. _

_Lisbon imagined his sounds of freeing pleasure, as he came within Saffron's mouth: a few guttural moans, and the screaming of her name, over and over again, at the top of his lungs, "Kris!", "Kris!", "Kriiiis!" and she despised them both for it. How could they even do something like that, especially when she was being beaten and treated horribly because she refused to spill their secrets; it made her wish something ill upon the both of them. _

"Would you like me to turn to the next page?" O'Laughlin interrupted her imagination, which she was suddenly thankful for. Lisbon didn't want to see them going at it, especially within her bedroom.

"Yes." There was no hesitation in her voice; she just wanted something to take those images (and the accompanying feelings) away.

O'Laughlin pulled the second page from her, before she scanned the third and final page:

…_you also asked to be updated on the crew, in case they ever crossed a line: I had been walking past the crew mess, when I caught sight of the crew officers sitting together, enjoying a drink. They weren't whispering, as they discussed Lisbon. Capt. Jane had his hand pressed against Kris's back, while he called out how glad he was that he didn't have to kill her, though if it had come down to it, he had an entire plan to rid them of her forever. I thought Mashburn, Rigsby or Cho would defend Teresa, until Rigsby commented: "Maybe the whore will listen when somebody tells her to follow an order." Kris, Jane, and Mashburn had laughed while Cho smiled… _

Lisbon forced her wet eyes away from the letter; she had thought Cho, Mashburn, and Rigsby had cared about her. She had thought they were all friends (although, Lisbon didn't actually think Mashburn could be considered a "friend"). Yes, she hadn't followed Jane's orders, but she wasn't a bitch for it. How could they turn on her like that? O'Laughlin petted her hair again.

"It's never easy learning the truth." O'Laughlin continued to soothe. "But now that you know it, you're a much better person than your Captain, your crew, or Kristina could ever hope to be."

Lisbon highly doubted that. Jane had picked Saffron over her and she was stuck on the Red Rum: being told the dark stories Jane had buried away from her and being saved from the monsters of the Scarlet Oasis.

O'Laughlin shifted slightly under her head again. "I hate to leave you, but my Captain needs me." Lisbon glanced up at him, bit her tender lip, and frowned. He was going to leave her too? Everybody turned their backs on her: Jane, Saffron, Rigsby, Mashburn, Cho, and now O'Laughlin? O'Laughlin shook his head and touched her chin lightly; his light touch made her shiver slightly. "Hey now, don't look like that. I'll be back, I promise."

"Okay," she reluctantly agreed, as O'Laughlin shifted her from his lap and set her head back down on the ground. She watched him cover her body with the thin blanket in the shadowy candlelight.

"I'll be back later." O'Laughlin promised again, softly and she watched him go, as tears fell freely from her eyes and down her cheeks within the inky blackness.

Eventually, he did return (as did the light) and when she began to silently cry, he gathered her in his arms and held her without a word. She was comforted by his touch.

* * *

><p>Kris moved her arms outward; if the bastard really thought he was going to hit her, she would run her sword through his chest. "Oh, so you're going to hit me now?" She mirthlessly chuckled, even though she wanted nothing more than to hit him again. "You're a real man, let me tell you. The hookers you've slept with would be better men than you." Kris watched Jane tense in anger, but she wasn't scared—he had always been more bark than bite, and if he did hit her, Cho would kill him. "Actually, those hookers would be better captains than you. At least they follow their own rules." She watched his brows furrow together in confusion and she rolled her eyes. <em>As if you don't know<em>, she silently thought in scorn. "Of course, you're going to play stupid. Don't tell me you don't remember hitting Lisbon."

"What?" Jane sputtered and Kris clenched her fists together; he had sent her on Manse Island, and he was now going to lie about Lisbon too? For one brief moment, Kris was glad Lisbon was gone, as she sent her fist into his face and she smiled. Jane yelled in pain, as he clenched his nose and glared through his hands. "Why in the hell did you do that?"

"It's what I should have done months ago, but Lisbon begged me not to." Kris threw. "As much as I don't respect you, I respect Lisbon. Lisbon is my best friend, and you," she kicked out at him, "are just an ass." Jane yelled again and Kris ignored him. "Take it like a man. Lisbon, at least, could take a hit. You, ha. You don't even have the gull to fight me back." Jane made no movement, which irritated her even more; he had punched Lisbon without hesitation, what was stopping him right now? Before he could say anything else, she moved to pull out her sword and she pointed it as his neck. "Fight me, come on! Do something! Prove you're captain, and earn my respect." Kris stared at him. "You can't, can you? You only know how to do something when you're drunk. Did you even give Lisbon the chance to defend herself?" She knew he hadn't, but she had to ask anyway.

"I've never hit Lisbon!" Jane cried and Kris kicked him again. "You've got problems!" He continued, as he rubbed his shin. "Stop accusing me for your damned problems!"

"My problems?" Kris spat, as she tried to keep herself from killing him. "You don't even know my problems! You don't even try to know my problems! You sit in your fucking office all day long, and you made Lisbon do all the work! She should have been captain, not you." Kris waited for Jane to say something, but he didn't and she put a little bit more pressure on her sword. "I can't respect men who hit women; my father did it to me, did you know that?" Jane looked confused, which didn't surprise her. He _was _an idiot, after all. "Did you care when you sent me to him?"

"Sent you to whom?" Jane asked. Kris didn't believe his damned innocent act at all. "You don't make any sense!"

"My father, you asshole." Kris stated. "Why do you think we got nothing? You sent us here are purpose, because you don't want us to find Lisbon!" Kris was beyond livid; Jane hadn't been trying to find Lisbon, he had been trying to find Red John. The man didn't care if his first mate lived or died, as long as he got to run his sword through Red John's chest.

"How dare you!" Jane came back at her. "How fucking dare you!" Kris bared her teeth.

"Newsflash, Jane!" Kris argued. "This entire voyage has been around Red John! Lisbon's kidnapping was just convenient!" Jane narrowed his eyes. "You can narrow your damned eyes all you want, but it doesn't erase the truth of my words!"

"I care about Lisbon!" Jane cried. "I probably care about Lisbon more than you!" He moved to pull out his own sword, before he pointed the edge at her neck. Kris merely laughed.

"This voyage isn't about Lisbon at all," she repeated in anger, "Lisbon's merely your excuse. Her kidnapping, like I said before, was extremely convenient so you can go and kill Red John." She paused to shake her head. "Believe me, Jane. I know what will happen once we find them. You won't help me save Lisbon; I will be doing it all by myself, while you go and make yourself feel better for your mistakes." Jane continued to narrow his eyes. "You don't even care about her! You just want to kill him, so that way you can feel better about yourself! But let me tell you, catching him won't make you sleep easier at night." Kris knew Jane was having sleeping issues, but she had never said anything to him. If he wanted to burn himself out, she had thought he should just go right ahead and do it. "Why can't you sleep? Oh, that's right." She paused to stare at him. "It's for the night you stupidly left your wife and child alone!" Kris watched Jane clench his teeth and she rolled her eyes; all he was going to do was act like a big shot. "My father did the same thing! He'd go on a fucking rampage, leave my mother and I to do God only knows what, and we wouldn't see him for days!" Kris trembled; she hated thinking back to her childhood, and even more so, she hated telling Jane these things. He was a manipulative and cunning bastard, who had nothing better to do than use these things to his advantage. "Days, Jane! Days! This isn't about Lisbon at all!" She took a deep breath. "This is about you and your wounded pride!"

Jane shoved her sword away from him. "Me and _my _wounded pride? You're one to talk."

Kris ignored him. "Tell me, Jane. What are you going to do about? Hit me?" She scoffed. "Tell me, Jane. What? I'd love to see you try." She watched him drop his sword to the cluttered ground and she rolled her eyes. _What a weakling_, she thought. She brought her sword up to finish him, when he knocked it from her hand and pinned her against the wall with his arms and his body weight; she barely heard the sword clatter onto the floor, filled with Lisbon's clothing and other various trinkets. Kris struggled beneath him to be freed, but he wouldn't move. "Let me go, you asshole! I'm going to fucking kill you! Get off me!" She tried to kick out at him, but he was too close to her. "What is this going to prove? That you can rape women?" Kris didn't think he would do that. Jane had many faults, and doing something like _that _was not one of them. She opened her mouth to say something again, when he shoved his lips to hers and forced his tongue down her throat. Kris shook her head to try and escape from his hold on her, but he wouldn't let up. His lips, hard against her own, were not something she wanted, and she knew she needed to get away. Without much of a choice, she bit down; his tongue still in her mouth, twisting and dancing. Jane pulled back and stared, she could see that his pupils were dilated. Kris could taste the blood in her mouth; both from him and her own cracked lips. "You're fucking insane, Jane! What do you think this is going to solve?" She paused to glare at him. "It's going to solve absolutely nothing, as I'm still going to kill…"

Kris couldn't finish her sentence, as Jane shoved his lips to her neck and pressed one of his hands against her right breast. She tried to shake him off, but she found she couldn't—the damned bastard had his entire weight pinning her to the wall. She felt him snake his hand up her shirt and his fingers trail under her bra, where she hissed in anger. Kris tried to kick out at him with both legs and he bit down on her neck; his wet lips sucked on her neck and she bit her lip. _It's not turning me on_; she thought through her daze, as she tried to hold onto her logic, _he's hurting me. I've got to get away from him. I don't want this! _

Kris tried to shove him away, as she cried out in pain. "You idiot! What in the hell are you doing?" She couldn't feel Jane's fingers under her bra anymore and she let out a breath of relief. Had she finally gotten through to the crazy bastard? _Probably not_, she thought, because the way he stared at her said otherwise. She shivered against his body; Timothy Carter had done almost the same thing on several occasions, and she hadn't wanted it then, so why would she even want it now? She opened her mouth to try and throw him off her again, when she felt two fingers ram into her clit and rub hard; the asshole had gotten into her pants, and she hadn't even felt it? Kris yelled out in pain, but that didn't distract or stop him. She felt her knees start to tremble beneath her and the trembling—whether it was from anger or pain, she had absolutely no idea—shot through every nerve in her body, that she didn't even have the ability to kick out at him again. Her thoughts and logic, which up until that moment had protested him and his ministrations, completely faded away into nothingness.

With her mouth still open, she let out a heavy moan and she grabbed at his shoulders, uncovered by her hand. He continued to alternate between biting and sucking on her neck, as her nails dragged down his skin—ruby droplets lingered behind, while he shifted atop her. The pain, which had been unbearable moments before, slowly disappeared and she found herself wanting more—grinding her hips into his hand, as he continued to rub her in circles, harder and harder with every dry thrust.

She felt him pull his wet hand from her clit—from her pants—and grab behind her aching thighs, before he motioned for her to move her legs upward around his waist. She felt her pants drop—the only thing keeping them apart and separated—to the floor and she shook them off her trembling legs, before she threw her now-bare legs around his still-clothed waist. Kris felt him put one hand under her to keep her steady, while the other hand went back underneath her underwear; she shuddered in ecstasy at his touch, as he went back to rubbing at her clit with a new found urgency for them both. Jane pulled away from her neck, while he moved them both forward within the cluttered bedroom. In return, she sunk her own teeth into his neck and he groaned.

She tasted blood; hers and his, mixed together.

She felt herself being dumped onto something soft—_a bed_, her thoughts informed her through the haze—before she felt his lips attack hers with a fury again, and she was lost within his touch.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **It's not mine.

Thanks to Frogster and ShunKickShunKers for the reviews, they really are appreciated! :)

I will not be updating Monday the 28th, as I need a break. Um...even though this chapter is somewhat short, the next seven chapters will not be. So, enjoy!

* * *

><p>Kris was still sleeping, when he finally managed to open his eyes to stare into the darkness of the first mate's bedroom. His arm was wrapped firmly around her waist, as she slept turned away from him and he honestly had no clue how it had gotten <em>this <em>bad.

Jane hadn't meant to hurt, let alone sleep, with her but it had happened and they couldn't take it back. Kris was his temporary first mate—the person Lisbon called her best friend, who Lisbon had also said he might one day need—and the fact that this had gone down in Lisbon's bedroom made the entire situation a million times worse. How would they even continue to work together, if one of them suddenly gained feelings for the other person after last night?

Of course, he didn't like her. Even though, Kris _was _attractive and she was extremely good in bed (he'd never admit those things to her though, as the woman already had an ego the size of his ship)—he knew they'd never work out. He still didn't trust her completely and although his words had been harsh last night, it didn't mean he didn't think that they didn't ring true. Jane reasoned internally; in the past ten months of Kris being on the crew, all she had done was _run_. If the situation hadn't suited her, she didn't want to hear it and he was sure that when she did wake up, she'd run from this also.

Last night, he admitted quietly, had only been because she was a danger to both herself and him; he wasn't proud of his methods, but last night…he knew they both needed to be alive long enough to find Lisbon. Kris had given in after ten minutes, and now, he just felt repulsed by his actions.

Yet…

He couldn't take his arm from around her waist. Jane didn't like her, but he found himself conflicted—what they had done was wrong, but he had never slept that well before. Carefully, he pulled his own arm from around her waist and lit the candle by the bedside. Kris made no movement, as he slid the cover down to view her bare back in the flickering candlelight.

Jane eyed her back in horror, as he caught sight of the barely visible scars that crisscrossed her back. He hadn't believed that she was telling the truth last night, and because of that, he had hurt her even more than he had intended. With a finger, he traced one of her scars, which made her mutter something and shift in her sleep.

Out of everything they had done though, they had betrayed Lisbon; having sex in her bedroom, while she was out being tortured somewhere hadn't been intended. It had just happened. He frowned. How were they even going to tell Lisbon about what they had done? Kris shifted again. What if they didn't tell her at all? He blinked. Lisbon couldn't actually get upset if neither one of them admitted to their deed, and he had a feeling that Kris would be absolutely mortified once she woke up. If he didn't mention it to her, Kris would never mention it to her either.

Lisbon was his best friend—somebody he did care about, even if their relationship hadn't been the best before her kidnapping—and he had figuratively screwed her over. Lisbon had vaguely dropped the hint about leaving the crew months ago, and he knew if he told her about what had occurred between him and Kris, she'd leave him plus the crew without a second thought. Lisbon was the best first mate he had, and he needed her in his life.

Besides not smacking a female crewmember (which apparently, he had broken with Lisbon and he honestly couldn't remember), he had also broken the _most_ important rule on the crew—no sleeping with the first mate. Lisbon had instigated _that _rule years ago, after he had tried to hit on her with alcohol coursing through his system.

_"You wouldn't sleep with your enemy," she had said lightly, "so, why would you sleep with your first mate?" _

It was a good question, even if he had waved it off then.

Now, it was also a question he still didn't have a good answer for.

Jane closed his eyes; he needed Lisbon _and _he needed Kris, but he knew he couldn't have them both.

His thoughts were interrupted, when he felt Kris move next to him and she knew he was awake; the bed jolted beneath him and without even opening his eyes, he knew she was panicking. Of course, she had also figuratively screwed over her best friend and she had also broken the second most important rule—no sleeping with the Captain.

If Jane hadn't instigated their romantic entanglement together, he technically could have excommunicated her to some remote island as punishment, but he wouldn't do that. Lisbon, once she returned, would kill him and the crew would be awfully curious on why he had chucked the temporary first mate off the ship, especially after her display of emotion last night.

Jane almost wanted to comfort her, when he felt something ram into his face; that something, of course, was her fist. He said nothing to her, as he held his (now) tender nose with his hand and watched her scoop up her clothes from the floor. From a distance, as she turned her bare back to him, the scars were barely detectable but it didn't make them any less unseen within his memory.

She said nothing to him, as she dressed and hurriedly escaped from the cluttered room.

He threw the covers aside.

How would they even manage to work together, if all he kept imagining were the scars across her back and how much of an ass he had been? Of course, he'd never apologize. He was the Captain of the Scarlet Oasis, and the Captain of the Scarlet Oasis _never _apologized or acted not cocky—even if it meant that he could have compromised both of their relationships with Lisbon in the near future, especially if she ever found out where and why they had done it. In anger (and frustration), Jane grabbed the vacant pillow that Kris had rested her head on and he threw it into Lisbon's trinket filled dresser.

He heard something break, which he found oddly cathartic and soothing.

_Because just like everything else right now_, Jane thought quietly, _it just can't ever be fixed._

* * *

><p>From against the main deck railing, Kris watched the crew complete their daily tasks. None of them said anything to her, as she remained lost within her own thoughts and stared out into the stormy ocean.<p>

She and Jane had just done the unthinkable, and that something unthinkable couldn't be taken back. Having arguments where she kicked his ass was one thing, but having sex with him was something entirely different—it was despicable, disgusting and dirty, even if Jane _was _an attractive man, with his blonde hair and bluish-green eyes. However, she could honestly say, without a doubt that she felt absolutely nothing for Patrick Jane. It had been the heat of a moment kind of thing, but it didn't mean she didn't feel insanely guilty.

Kris, besides not wanting him to touch her again, knew Lisbon had feelings for the man; although, she couldn't exactly understand why. Jane was a bully and Lisbon deserved much better. The previous first mate had never said anything about her attraction to the captain, but Kris had come to learn that silence spoke louder than anything else—Lisbon's avoidance of the subject, the reminder of the rules, and the change of subject had not fooled Kris. Lisbon had it bad for her captain, and they had just gone behind her back and had sex in her bedroom.

It was enough of a thought to make her want to vomit.

If Jane had forced _that_ on her last night, did that mean that the man had forced himself on Lisbon also? She clenched her fists together. If he had, Lisbon would have never told her about it—the best kept secret, because Jane wouldn't admit to his stupidity in fear of being killed and Lisbon would never admit to her shame, due to how the entire crew would mutiny. The crew had apparently always been "loyal" to Jane out of begrudging respect for the loss of his family, but it had always seemed that the crew was more loyal to Lisbon out of actual respect. Lisbon, who had been seen as the first mate by Jane, had taken on the unofficial title of "Captain" by everybody else on the crew. She frowned; if it hadn't been for _that _loyalty toward Lisbon, everybody else would have abandoned Jane when she had been kidnapped.

Kris heard him, before she saw him. "…I've gotten her before; she's an easy thing to pick up." She turned her head to find Mashburn and Jane coming up the steps together. Was the asshole talking about her? She narrowed her eyes. Mashburn already made enough lewd comments about the both of them, which meant he didn't need to know! Nobody needed to know! It was supposed to be a secret, and if Jane told anybody…she'd kill him. "It's the way she bites that you have to look out for, right Kris?" Mashburn shot her a smile, which only outraged her.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Kris snapped. Jane threw her a smile.

"We're talking about Rosie the chicken." Mashburn explained and Kris raised her eyebrows. "She's the oldest chicken on the ship and Patrick commented on how moody she was being this morning."

"We're on a pirate ship and you both are discussing chickens?" Kris asked in a huff. "Don't you two actually have _jobs _to do?" She crossed her arms against her chest, before she decided to punch Jane again!

Jane continued to grin. "I'd do my job, if you'd come with me! I'm sure you've noticed that we're sailing?" She almost rolled her eyes. The ship, when sailing, rocked a lot. "I want to know where we're going though, as it seems my crew has forgotten that I'm Captain!" How could they forget? Jane had a humongous ego and was the Captain of Stupid Things. Jane moved away from Mashburn, before he started toward the helm. Kris followed close behind on his heels. "Good morning, my trusty navigator." Cho glanced up from the table.

"Why are you so happy?"

_Because he got something special last night_, Kris thought with a frown.

"I can't just enjoy the beautiful day, Cho?"

"No." Cho responded. Jane waved him off, before she watched him turn to Rigsby.

"Oh, hi Rigsby!" Jane greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here, Captain." Rigsby said with a sigh.

"What exactly is it that you do here again?" Jane questioned with a smile and Rigsby grimaced. Jane was feeling playful, which usually meant something strange was going to happen.

"Funny," Rigsby replied.

"I try."

Kris rolled her eyes, before she addressed them. "Where are we going? I hate to interrupt the love fest going on, but I'm impatient."

Jane turned to her. "Patience is a virtue, my dear."

"You'd know _all _about virtue, wouldn't you?" His smile slipped; he deserved this for earlier, the smug bastard. "Back to my original question, where are we going?"

"We are in route to Governor Island." Cho answered and Kris groaned; more places from her past. Hadn't the crew learned their lesson from Manse Island? Of course, this time she couldn't blame Jane…as sad as that was. Everybody stared at her. "What?"

"I know I hate rich people, but you seem to loathe them." Jane gave. "Why is this island such a downer to you? I thought you'd fit in with all these rich people."

"Oh yeah," she spat, "because that worked out _so well _yesterday!" Nobody said a word. "I have a past, okay? I know people." Mainly, the governor and his family…but it still counted. "What are you hoping to learn from this island?"

"Besides your hatred for rich people?" Kris continued to glare at Jane.

"Governor's Island _or _Governor Island, however you'd like to pronounce it—is known for a few things." Rigsby cut in. "The support of Red John is just one of those things." Cho nodded and Kris continued to frown.

Could she ever catch a break? From the way Jane stared at her—a large smile on his face—probably not.


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

Thanks to LizfromItaly and ShunKickShunKers for the reviews! I seriously do appreciate them!

This chapter is a little darker toward the end, mainly for thoughts of suicide. So, read with caution. :)

* * *

><p><strong>10—<strong>

At one of the wooden tables, Kris sat; both of her hands wrapped around an empty pewter mug that had once been filled with fresh water, as she observed her surroundings with a soft frown. The crew mess had never been anything spectacular to look at, especially with its endless walls and support beams made of wood overhead, but it was quiet. She needed to be away from the crew—from Jane—from everything, if only for a few hours to think things through. Although, she knew that she would eventually be interrupted, mainly because somebody had to do the first mate duties.

Currently though, the peace and quiet was helping her keep her sanity.

The entire incident with Jane had raised so many questions, emotions and thoughts; everything continued to race through her mind, but she knew the deed had been done and there was absolutely nothing either one of them could do about it. She had accepted that rather quickly, even though it had taken many deep breaths and a punch to the nose to do.

She and Jane had managed to skillfully avoid the subject, aside from a few well-placed barbs and snide comments (mostly from her) and that had been just fine with her. What could they possibly even need to talk about? Kris still wanted to punch him in the face and if the subject _was _brought back up, they'd probably both have to answer _why it had happened_. The why didn't matter to her and she knew if she were to _ever _confide in Lisbon about the entire situation—the first mate wouldn't care too much about the why either. Lisbon would just have both of their heads.

To her though, what had happened with Jane was the least of her troubles. She had more concerns about where they were currently headed, given the fact that her parents and the Bertram's had always remained good friends. She was absolutely positive that her father, by now, had written Governor Bertram about the argument they had all shared. She was also beyond convinced that Bertram knew about her mother's pregnancy.

She sighed, before she fiddled with her mug. Her mother's pregnancy. The idea, even weeks later, still repulsed her and made her stomach work itself into tight knots; her father had forced this pregnancy on her mother and _that_ just made her want to disembowel him. He would probably never understand how much it hurt her, but the fact he thought it was so easy to replace her, absolutely killed her inside. Kris had never expected him to understand it though, but as much as she hated to admit it to herself, it also hurt that she would never get to know her unborn sibling. However, much like the vile incident with Jane, the deed had been done and there was nothing she could do about it.

She continued to stare down at the empty mug in her hands; the shiny mug, now fingerprinted from her fiddling, reminded her of how empty she felt inside. The weighing knowledge that Lisbon wasn't there to talk about everything currently going on, was slowly eating her up inside; she had no one to confide in or trust about anything. _Although_, she thought bitterly, _the lack of trusting people just seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life. _

And it was.

Every time something good or kind had entered into her life, her father, Governor Bertram or Red John snatched it away from her.

Going to Governor's Island, though, was her main concern; if Bertram had heard about what happened with her father, getting the information about Red John wouldn't be an easy task. Kris tried to ignore that the man already resented her for a long list of things, although if it didn't work out, she knew that she always had one other person to turn to for help.

However, she wanted to keep _that _information to herself. Kris wanted to give the entire crew a chance and she knew that if Jane was going to go with them, which he probably would, they would have a better shot of getting something out of the Governor. As much as she hated to admit it, Jane had an uncanny skill to annoy people until they told the truth. That skill, no doubts about it, annoyed her to no end, but she had seen time and time again just how useful it was. She only hoped he knew when to draw the line, but because it was Jane, him knowing when to stop seemed highly unlikely.

Kris would have continued to wallow in her own dark and depressing thoughts, when she heard the sound of light footsteps behind her and she silently groaned. She had known that the silence was too good to be true. The footsteps grew louder and louder, and she refused to turn to face whoever was going to approach her, as she hoped the person would take the hint and leave her alone for anything of no importance. She said nothing, as she stared down at her mug and continued to frown. _Why can't the world just give me two moments of peace? _She asked herself quietly.

She tilted her head up slightly to find Rigsby sitting across from her, which mildly confused her. Out of _all _the people she had expected to find before her, Rigsby hadn't been her first guess. She and Rigsby, of course, had their issues. He had always been about honor and loyalty, while she had always been more interested in the bare facts and getting straight to the truth. She had learned a long time ago, especially because of her father being who he was, that loyalty meant absolutely nothing. She had also learned that nobody would be "loyal" to you, without having the ultimate price to pay. If her father had taught her anything useful, especially while growing up, it was that nothing—not even the love from your own family—came for free. It was a hard truth for most people to swallow, but in her own experience, being alone was the best thing that could ever happen to you. Within her mind, relying on others was absolutely pointless, because others always managed to let you down somehow.

Unintentional or not, she never wanted to question why she had put so much faith into a person.

Rigsby grunted, which caught her attention. Quickly, she glanced up at him and threw him a blank stare. Much to her chagrin, he stared right back, until she finally said something. "As much as I was enjoying this little staring contest we had going on, is there something wrong? Or something you needed?" Rigsby shook his head and she rolled her eyes in irritation. Why did he feel the need to come interrupt her peace, if he had absolutely nothing to say? It infuriated her.

She pushed herself up from the table, when Rigsby finally spoke. "Kris." With the shake of her head, she eased herself back into her spot and blinked.

"Rigsby," she said with a slight smirk, as she glanced at him. Rigsby looked as if he was having trouble forming the words, which confused her even more. Why had he even come to her, if he couldn't spit the words out? She opened her mouth to address him again, when he interrupted her.

"I'm not sure if I'm crossing some unspoken boundary between us," Rigsby continued with a frown, "so, I'm not entirely too sure if I should even ask."

Kris gave a slight grimace and glanced back at her mug; she had hoped he wouldn't bring it up again, but she should have guessed that he'd hold her to her word. Regardless of her mixed feelings on the subject, she answered him. "How will you know if you've crossed that boundary, unless you bring it up?" He didn't say anything, and even if it had been a rhetorical question, she knew the conversation would get nowhere unless he spoke his mind.

"Before I even ask or push my luck," he started, "I want to apologize to you." He just liked confusing her, didn't he? Rigsby had never been one to swallow his pride and apologize, as he was like Jane in that way. Rigsby could never be wrong, but what had brought the confusion on was the fact that she had _no idea _what he was apologizing for.

She sighed in frustration. "Not that I don't appreciate a good apology, Rigsby, because I really do. But, I'm not too sure on why you're apologizing."

"For what happened a few weeks ago," he answered, quite hastily. She blinked in response. Jane's asshole tendencies weren't his fault, as the man couldn't control the pirate captain. He had just been the unlucky one assigned to go with her and if it hadn't been for Jane and his lack of common sense, they could have avoided the entire situation.

"Rigsby," she began, "what happened wasn't your fault. If it was anyone's fault…" she trailed off and she assumed that he knew exactly how she would end _that _sentence. If he couldn't figure that out, then Rigsby was more clueless than she had thought he was.

She waited for him to argue with her. Kris knew that Jane and Rigsby had their various differences and that Jane was (still) not too pleased that Rigsby hadn't killed O'Laughlin on the spot. However, for some reason or another, Rigsby had always respected him. Even at times when she didn't think he deserved it; she was sure that Rigsby had shown Jane some form of silent disrespect. Rigsby, in her own opinion, was the type of person who said one thing—but ultimately said another with his face.

"About that," he stated, while she geared herself up for an argument with him, "don't blame the Captain too much." She scoffed at his statement. _Don't _blame the Captain? He was the reason that everything had gone to hell in the first place. He was also the reason why they were even having that conversation at the moment, but because it was rude to interrupt, she let him continue on. "It wasn't exactly his idea to go to Manse Island." Kris gave Rigsby a blank stare. What planet had Rigsby been living on for the past few weeks? Of course, it was all Jane's fault. She didn't respond, but she nodded for him to continue on. To her, at the present moment, it only sounded like a bunch of nonsense. Rigsby continued forth. "It was Cho." Kris blinked. Cho? She thought about that for a moment. Cho had never been one to intentionally cause problems and he wasn't like Jane, who could figure out your entire past by just looking at you. If Cho had suggested going to Manse Island, he had a valid reason at the time. Unfortunately for all of them, the idea hadn't worked out so well.

But, even if she couldn't blame Jane for making them sail to Manse Island, she could blame him for sending her onto the island. She was absolutely positive that with all the time she had been spending with him, much to her dismay that he had already figured out her entire past. She could also guess, given her reaction to the island when he had finally told her, that he had noticed she had been both nervous and uncomfortable, and had sent her there just to make matters worse. So, in the end, no matter who had gotten the idea to go to the island, Jane had caused all of their problems.

She finally gave a response. "Nothing I or anyone else can do about it now, Rigsby. The damage has been done, and I'm sure Cho isn't one to be intentionally spiteful. Unlike others I could name right about now." Rigsby stared at her, an expression of concern across his features. Why he cared all of a sudden had her all confused. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the concern, because she did, but nobody on the crew had ever cared about her before.

She saw Rigsby about to speak again, which put an end to her thoughts. "You told me on the walk to your parents' house; you had left them." She took in a deep breath, as she closed her eyes. She knew where he was heading. She knew what he was going to ask, yet she allowed him to continue on with his question. "My question is, why?"

There was a whole long list of reasons on why she had left her parents. If it wasn't the constant beating or screaming matches, it was because of Carter or about how her parents and Bertram had single-handedly managed to pull her away from James; the only decent and honest man she had ever known. And if it wasn't that, it was the standards of _their _society—how women had to dress, talk, eat, sit, stand, and she betted, sleep a certain way. She absolutely loathed the fact that she had never been allowed to speak her mind—never been allowed to have a voice of any kind and by living with her parents, she would have eventually become like her mother—silent and obedient. She had never wanted that, no matter how much she may have hated leaving her mother.

All-in-all, there were a lot of things going against her parents. There were, she was sure, just as many reasons for her to hate them, as they hated her. However, she had to think about the answer that she would give Rigsby. Kris didn't want him to know everything, but she wanted him to know just enough that it would make him stop asking.

She sighed lowly and answered him. "I left them, because if you didn't notice, my father kind of enjoys corporal punishment." She bit her bottom lip, hoping that she could shake the memories from her horrible childhood. Also, she hoped it would push back the stinging memories of his belt hitting her back, over and over again. With persistence, however, she continued on. "I rebelled against him and he didn't like that. Like me, he hated not being the one in control over a situation and so he thought the way to handle me, was to hit me. He still thinks that now, apparently." That had been hard for her to say, especially given the fact that she had just admitted out loud to being like her father and the idea that she could even be a little like him, made him her not want to live anymore. Any resemblance; physical or otherwise, to him was something she automatically hated about herself.

She went on. "I act the way I do, because of what has happened to me, in my past. I don't trust anyone and I prefer to be alone." She sighed and stopped there; she didn't want to say anything else. Kris waited for him to respond, as she watched him glance down at his hands, which she understood. Everything she was saying wasn't easy to hear, especially from someone you didn't even necessarily like in the first place.

After a few moments, he looked up at her to respond. "Listen," he said with a comforting tone, "I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time for a while. I didn't know…" He trailed off and she nodded in understanding. How could _anyone _possibly guess what had happened to her? No one had asked and she wasn't just going to tell anybody; the only one she had told was Lisbon, and that was because Lisbon had expressed concern for her the moment they had met.

"Don't worry about it, Rigsby. I can't say I blame you. I'm not the easiest person to know or to like, for that matter." She gave him a small smile and he nodded in her direction. It seemed that both of them had reached an unspoken agreement between them now, basically saying that she and Rigsby were cordial now. Not that it meant she would confide in Rigsby, but at least he would be more willing to look at certain situations from her point of view.

She was glad, after nearly eleven months of being onboard, that she finally had another ally.

* * *

><p><em>What did I do wrong? <em>Lisbon thought, as she blinked into the darkness; her back ached, as she was propped against the wall, while her blanket remained draped over her chilled legs. _When had it all gone wrong? _She tried to blink back the wetness in her eyes, but she found it to be almost impossible. She felt hopeless and lost; she was beyond exhausted, angry, upset and above all else, hurt, that everybody on the Scarlet Oasis had seemingly tossed her aside for someone newer.

But when had it gotten _that _bad? What had she done to make Jane not trust her? She had been patient with him. She had been forgiving. She had stuck by his side, even though he could be ruthless. She had given him almost everything he could ask for, but yet he still chose Saffron. Of course, she knew why. The reason was painfully obvious; the two were _together_ in love and Saffron enjoyed spreading her legs, every single time he opened his mouth. She, on the other hand, wasn't a whore. She had standards. She had morals. Saffron did not. Saffron only cared for herself and when the selfish bitch eventually decided to cut her ties with the crew, Jane would be on his hands and knees begging for somebody to help him.

Well, that somebody wouldn't be her.

Patrick Jane, the world's largest asshole, had just screwed himself over. He had just thrown eight years of friendship down the drain, because he had decided that his sexual drive was more important than her rescue. Sure, Saffron was attractive—O'Laughlin had said as much—she was a spitfire, she had a musical-like laugh, she had long brunette hair, and she stood with confidence. The confidence, which Lisbon had once thought she possessed, had apparently not been enough to impress her former captain. She had always thought that she had given off a commanding presence when she had been aboard the Scarlet Oasis. She thought that Jane—her captain, who she had genuinely liked—had admired that "commanding presence", but apparently, Saffron had just been better; O'Laughlin had even implied that. The bitch apparently had a presence that impressed Jane, but what had she done to make her presence more noticeable? What had she done to get Jane's attention? Once again, the haunting question lingered at the forefront of her mind: what had Saffron done in the time that she's been on the crew, which she, herself, had not been able to accomplish in eight years?

Had it been because of her mistake with O'Laughlin? Did making one lapse in judgment mark her for death? She hadn't meant for O'Laughlin to hurt them all; she knew they needed somebody else on the crew and Craig O'Laughlin had seemed like the perfect fit. She had thought he and Jane would get along fine, and unfortunately, she had been right. They had gotten along _so well_ that they were able to conspire and mutiny against her. Although, she really couldn't blame O'Laughlin; he had been manipulated to go along with Jane's plot and she couldn't deny that Jane had a way with persuading others to do his bidding. _Hell_, she thought,_ did I do something to deserve being shot? _It wasn't a question she wanted to ask herself, but it was a question that just wouldn't leave her alone. How did anybody comprehend with the fact that their best friend, all because of another woman, wanted them dead? It made absolutely no sense to her, but Jane must have seen some logic in the plan.

On top of that, she wondered about what she had done to make the crew call her all those ugly names. Like with Jane, she had been patient with them. She had taken the time to listen to all their concerns and complaints, even if half were about Jane. She had done almost everything for them, so they could continue to live somewhat happily on the Scarlet Oasis without many problems. Had Saffron poisoned them against her? Had the bitch somehow learned how to manipulate people and twist emotions, like her jackass of a boyfriend had known how to do? Had they ever really cared about her at all? Was she really _worthless_ and _useless_ like everybody said? If so, why did O'Laughlin keep her alive? She honestly couldn't be of _any _worth to anybody, especially if her own crew didn't even want her around. O'Laughlin though, who had come back to her after telling her the truth about Jane and Saffron, had said she wasn't a bitch and that the crew merely couldn't appreciate what they had.

But, what did they have?

They had an ex-first mate, who could hardly move—let alone eat—without risking the consequences from her body. They had an ex-first mate, who couldn't even follow her Captain's orders to stay on the ship. They had an ex-first mate, who couldn't help further Jane's need for vengeance, which probably upset the entire crew. Saffron, to him however, seemed to have the capability to further his quest for vengeance. In the end, he must have felt that Saffron could accomplish the impossible faster, than she ever could have.

If she had the strength, she would have laughed bitterly. By kidnapping her, the Red Rum hadn't really gotten anything out of the deal. She apparently knew nothing about Jane. She apparently knew nothing about Saffron. She also apparently knew nothing about Cho, Rigsby or Mashburn. What use could she really be to them? A plaything? Torturing her for information about the Scarlet Oasis would lead them nowhere and if Jane didn't want her for her body, why would anybody else? She was undesirable. Unwanted. Unloved. _O'Laughlin should have killed me, _she thought, _I'm much better dead than alive. _

Lisbon's lips curled into a smile; the very thought of dying sent her into a happier place. If she was dead, nothing anybody did to her would matter. If she was dead, none of their words would bother her. She'd be dead. She'd be unfeeling. She'd be free from Jane, the crew, and Saffron too. Something, which she had come to realize whilst slowly rotting away, that she had desperately wanted above all else.

She had thought about asking O'Laughlin to shoot her. She had thought about asking Jacobs to break her neck. She had thought about doing something against pirate code, so Red John would feel the need to kill her himself. But why? Her death at their hands wouldn't be _dishonorable _enoughfor the Scarlet Oasis; it would be a travesty and she didn't want Patrick Jane _ever _finding her body. She wanted her body hacked up into the smallest pieces and tossed into the ocean, so nobody had the chance of sending her body back. So, she never had to step foot again (alive or dead) onto the ship, which had apparently wronged her.

Her dishonorable death, she ignored the churn of her stomach at the displeasing thought, would make everybody—including Jane and Saffron, happy. She didn't want them happy, but she couldn't stand the image of them together; the image, which burned brightly behind her closed eyelids and haunted her every living memory.

Lisbon tried to clear her mind. She traced the ground near her. Her fingers worked of their own accord, as they skimmed over the dirt floor and took notice of every uneven patch of dirt. Everybody wanted her dead. Everybody thought she was a bitch. Everybody thought she was worthless. Everybody wanted her dead. She felt a painful tightening in her throat. Why wouldn't they just give her something to kill herself with? If the Red Rum's intention was to kill her off, they should have left her something to…

Her fingers hit something jagged and rough; a rock.

She managed to weakly grin. O'Laughlin _had _left her something. He didn't want her suffering, like Jane and Saffron did. He wanted her to be free from all the pain and the suffering and she knew how to be free; with the rock, it would only take a few minutes.

In the darkness, she picked the rock up from the ground and tightened her fist around it; the sharp edges dug into her skin, but throughout the sharp twinges of pain she felt from her palm, she had never been happier. Jane would have Saffron, O'Laughlin and Red John would have her dead body, and she would be free. Completely free and safe and up with her mother in Heaven.

But the question wasn't _when _she wanted to die. The question was _how _she wanted to die.

Once upon a time, she had thought about using the blanket to help. If she had lifted it to her mouth, pressed it against her lips and held it there, she knew she would suffocate. Her lips would turn blue. She'd be dead within minutes and everything would be over.

Not being able to breath, however, truly scared her. Breathing had been the only constant in her life; the only thing she was able to control anymore, and if it was taken away from her—even willingly, for a few minutes—she'd completely lose herself. Insanity was something she couldn't afford. Insanity was something she didn't want. Insanity was something she was beginning to spiral into and death was her only way out.

Out of everything O'Laughlin had said; Lisbon knew he had a point. Saffron was of a healthy mental state, something Jane could latch onto. She, on the other hand, wasn't and probably never would be.

At the present time though, the rock was her only ally and best friend. The jagged rock, which she still held in her hand, was sharp enough to cut through skin and leave ruby droplets behind. The jagged rock, which she could swallow, was large enough to make her choke. The jagged rock, which she pressed against her wrist, would be the perfect instrument to end her pitiful life with.

She could have muttered a prayer; religious or not, she knew more prayers than most pirates. She could have asked for forgiveness, for guidance, for understanding from a much higher power, but all her thoughts—dark, turbulent, and deadly—focused on how beautiful and blissful the end could truly be.

Jane's face came into her mind; concerned and smiling. She pressed the rock harder against her wrist.

Jane's soft voice whispered into her ear; soft and comforting—_don't do this, Lisbon. You're better than this, Lisbon_. But, she wasn't much better than that. She deserved to die the most painful (and dishonorable) death and nobody, not even Patrick Jane, would stop her from accomplishing her last dying wish.

"What are you doing?" O'Laughlin's voice startled her from her thoughts. She hadn't even heard his footsteps let alone noticed the light from the candle, which shone brightly upon the walls. The rock in her hand touched the skin of her wrist, as O'Laughlin unlocked the cell door and hurried inside to take the material away from her. Lisbon wanted to fight him for it, but he was stronger, and he smacked the rock out of her hand. She heard it scatter across the floor and she wanted to cry, but all of her energy left her.

"I'm giving you all what you want." Lisbon responded to him, quietly. She heard O'Laughlin sigh, as he lowered himself down next to her.

"You shouldn't do this." O'Laughlin replied. "You're smarter than this. I know you are."

Lisbon scoffed. "Yeah, right." If she had been smarter, the Scarlet Oasis would have wanted her around. If she had been smarter, Jane would have wanted her instead of Saffron. She glanced down at her legs, when O'Laughlin touched her wrist. "I'm apparently useless and worthless. Why would anybody want me around?"

O'Laughlin leveled her with a stare. "You're not useless."

"Jane would argue with you." Lisbon answered.

"Do I look like Patrick?" O'Laughlin voiced and Lisbon shook her head. "Have I ever said that you're worthless or useless? No, I haven't. You're not any of those things." Lisbon glanced up at him. "You dying would be pointless. What would it achieve? You'd be letting Jane and Saffron win, because they want you dead."

"I'm giving them what they want." Lisbon repeated.

"Why do that though," O'Laughlin asked, "when you can fight back?" It was a valid question, but then again, what did he know? O'Laughlin was smart, but he had never been in a situation like this. O'Laughlin had never been tortured or forced into something he didn't want. O'Laughlin had only been manipulated and manipulation didn't cause suicide, did it? O'Laughlin placed his thumb against her wrist. "My Captain gave me that advice when I had lost my fiancée to your Captain." Lisbon glanced up to stare at O'Laughlin in surprise. "Oh, I forgot. You don't know."

"What don't I know?" Lisbon asked and O'Laughlin frowned.

"Years ago, your Captain seduced my fiancée, Grace." O'Laughlin spoke, softly. "She was a beautiful woman, inside and out. I loved her and I thought she loved me." O'Laughlin gave a dark chuckle and Lisbon blinked. "I had been out sailing with another crew and had come home after a long day, only to find my fiancée in bed with another man." O'Laughlin shook his head. "You have no idea how much that killed me. I gave her the world, and she decided that she wanted Patrick Jane, who I knew would eventually leave her." Lisbon couldn't argue with that. Jane had left his wife and child, who he had never loved. Jane had left her, who he honestly didn't care about either. "I gave Grace the choice between having either myself or Patrick, and she chose him. She left me for him, even though I warned her against it." She saw him look down at the dirt covered floor in despair. Something tragic must have happened in order for him to still feel that way about her.

She blinked again and asked, "What happened?"

O'Laughlin glanced back up at her. "Two years ago, I heard that she had killed herself. Patrick had left her for Kristina, and she committed suicide." O'Laughlin's voice was a whisper and she found herself wanting to comfort him. Saffron had not only managed to hurt her, but she had also hurt O'Laughlin as well. O'Laughlin, who had been nothing but kind to her, hadn't deserved that kind of pain.

"Why didn't you go after him?" Lisbon asked, out of curiosity. O'Laughlin blinked and she back peddled. What if he didn't want to answer? What if he thought her question was disrespectful? O'Laughlin was all about respect. "You don't have to answer…"

"I'm not going to hurt you." O'Laughlin muttered in response, before he continued on. "I never took revenge, because my Captain found me. He told me, "good things come to those who wait", and you," O'Laughlin gave her a small smile, "are definitely good. I'm sorry I never took revenge on your Captain…"

"He's not my captain." Lisbon interrupted him and O'Laughlin raised his eyebrows. "I used to have one, but I don't anymore. I just…" she trailed off. How could she even begin to explain to O'Laughlin that the Scarlet Oasis had been her only home for eight years, and now, she had absolutely nothing to her name? He had an entire crew. He had a Captain. He had a place to sleep. She just had a cell.

"I understand." O'Laughlin answered her. "I was on my own for a while. I had no captain, until Captain Red John found me. He saved me and he wants to save you too." Lisbon raised her eyebrow. The Captain of the Red Rum wanted her? Why? It made absolutely no sense. O'Laughlin chuckled softly, which confused her even more. "I had the same expression on my face when I was told. I couldn't understand why such a great man wanted to save me from ending my life, but he did and I couldn't be happier for it." Lisbon frowned. O'Laughlin was a good man, and Red John sounded much better than Jane—but what could she do? Before she could think anymore, O'Laughlin interrupted her thoughts. "You don't have to answer right away, but please, let me take you out of here. My Captain doesn't enjoy how you're being treated and neither do I."

Lisbon's eyes grew wide. O'Laughlin was going to let her leave? He was going to take her from the cell? Her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't going to be punished anymore. She wasn't going to be force-fed. She wasn't going to be beaten anymore.

"If you come with me," O'Laughlin continued, "I will protect you. Nobody will harm you, as they will know you are mine." She moved her lips into a smile. Somebody cared about her. Somebody wanted her around. She knew O'Laughlin wouldn't screw her over like Jane had.

Without hesitation, she answered back, "I want to come."

Lisbon watched O'Laughlin's lips quirk into a smile, which made her feel a sudden tightness in her chest. O'Laughlin wouldn't hurt her, but it didn't mean that he wouldn't take her to Jacobs. Maybe she shouldn't have accepted his offer. Saying no meant she could stay forever in her cell and she could continue through with her actions to end her life. However, before she could say another word to him, he had his hands under her body. The warmth of his hands felt so good against her body, as he cradled her to his chest and smiled down at her. Against his body, she felt safe and comforted and she didn't want the feeling to end, as she tried to burrow herself into his chest.

"Nobody is around," O'Laughlin soothed in a soft voice, "you'll be okay." Lisbon made no movement to nod or to answer him, as she felt herself being moved from the cell. She heard O'Laughlin's heartbeat into her ear, which immediately lulled her into a state of comfort. It had been so long since the heat of a body had been pressed against hers and she never wanted the feeling to fade. "We're going outside now."

Lisbon still didn't respond, even as she felt the cool air hit the side of her face. It had also been so long since she had been outside that she almost wanted to remove her head from O'Laughlin's chest, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt him move along at a steady pace, until she heard something open and close.

"You're inside now." O'Laughlin's running commentary wasn't exactly doing anything for her, but his voice was still a calming thing. "I'm going to sit you down on the bed." Lisbon pulled her head away his chest to glance around, although she couldn't see anything. The room was bathed in total darkness, until she felt herself being put down on something soft and the room lit up.

Her muscles relaxed and her eyes closed. She was warm. She was calm. She was content. O'Laughlin's voice lulled her into a sleepy state, when she felt his hand on her head. "Do you need anything?"

Her voice, weak and soft, responded, "You." She didn't want him to leave her, not after he had just rescued her from her own personal hell hole and after he had given her some hope back. O'Laughlin said nothing, but his touch left her and she cringed. Was he going to leave her again? She didn't want to be left alone, because her thoughts weren't safe. Her thoughts weren't what O'Laughlin would want for her, and she wanted him to stay with her—to protect her—which meant that she would do anything to make that happen.

Lisbon felt the bed move slightly and when she opened her eyes, she found herself eye-to-eye with O'Laughlin. She smiled briefly, as he took her hand in his and said nothing.

Silence, Lisbon had found, was one of the worst things in the world and the longer O'Laughlin held her hand and said nothing, the more she wanted to break the silence. She moved to open her mouth, still with a frown, when O'Laughlin's voice broke through the silence.

"Is there something on your mind?" Lisbon eyed him in surprise. He couldn't have known her thoughts, could he have? The expression across his face, a wrinkled brow and a pained gaze, made her worry. Had she done something wrong? "You can speak truthfully here. Nobody is going to hurt you." Lisbon bit her lip and tried to calm her racing heartbeat, which pounded loudly in her ears. She wanted to trust him, but something was holding her back. "If you are truthful about your feelings, it may make you feel better. I am here to listen to you and keep your secrets." Lisbon eyed O'Laughlin, looking for any signs of deception, but she couldn't find one. He was actually being serious and he wasn't going to use her feelings against her like Jane always had.

Before she could change her mind, she hesitantly spoke. "I don't want anyone, especially you, to judge me." She did fear him judging her, but she still feared him hurting her. O'Laughlin had access to every member on the crew, and if he felt desired to so, he could request Jacobs to show up and hurt her. Her body trembled at the thought of being hit again, having the leather bite into old wounds and having Jacobs leer at her. O'Laughlin squeezed her hand and she tried to speak, but she couldn't.

"I'm not going to judge you." O'Laughlin responded, softly. "I couldn't do that to you. I want to help you. I want to make things better for you." Lisbon blinked and she was suddenly able to speak again.

"I don't see how anyone could really understand." She let out a series of soft breaths; her mouth dry, while her heart still raced. She wanted to know exactly how O'Laughlin could help her, when he hadn't been the one living in fear. Or when he hadn't been the one suffering in silence. O'Laughlin was a victim of Jane, who never lifted one hand toward him. She was a victim of many things, and none of those things quite equaled out to Jane. O'Laughlin blinked at her and she squeezed her eyes shut; if he was going to hit her, she had no desire to see it coming.

"I'm not going to hit you," O'Laughlin said, his voice was still soft. "I know you've been hurt, but I am here to listen to you." He squeezed her hand again. "That's why I stayed."

Lisbon opened her eyes to stare at him again. Could she trust him with her thoughts? Could she trust him with her secrets? O'Laughlin had brought her to his bedroom, when he could have just left her to die, which meant she felt the need to pay him back for his kindness.

"Is it about Jane?" O'Laughlin continued and Lisbon blinked. It was always about Jane; her thoughts, her reactions, her habits. Jane's face haunted her everywhere she went and she couldn't escape from him; she couldn't run from his thoughts about her or his thoughts about Saffron. Slowly, she nodded her head. "What about him?"

The words tumbled from her mouth without thought. "Just memories of what he's done." She kept her eyes on O'Laughlin, waiting for any sign of anger or hated to cross his face, but none came. Only gentle understanding. "How it's all come down to this." O'Laughlin said nothing and she continued on. "The weeks before I was brought onto this ship with you just keep replaying over and over in my mind."

"Is there something specific that you are thinking of?" O'Laughlin responded and she slowly nodded. "Do you want to talk about?" Lisbon stared into O'Laughlin's clear blue eyes, as he continued to smile at her. She didn't want to talk about anything Scarlet Oasis related, but he was willing to listen, something that she had never had before. Jane brushed her off for his whore. Saffron was too busy backstabbing her. Cho, Rigsby and Mashburn were too busy following the queen bitch, who seemed to have everybody—but her—wrapped around her little finger.

"Yes." Lisbon said, quietly, before she inhaled sharply and began to speak. "I joined the Scarlet Oasis eight years ago. I was naïve and believed the lies that Jane fed me, when he had _saved _me from Walter Mashburn." O'Laughlin said nothing again, and she continued on. "I had been sitting at the Salty Ana, drinking, to forget about my troubles, when I had been approached by Walter Mashburn. He hit on me, said I was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen, before he had tried to take me back to his place." Lisbon felt her cheeks warm; she still remembered Walter's hand on the small of her back, as he had tried to push her out of the warm establishment and into the alleyway. "I didn't want to go and I kicked his ass, which he didn't appreciate. However, Patrick Jane had appreciated the sight. He laughed, found the entire thing amusing, and made a comment about how he was starting up his own pirate crew." Lisbon fell silent. How naïve she had been to believe that Jane would be any different from any other man in her life? She had just left her fiancé, lost her father, and her brothers scorned her, only for Jane to step into her life and provide something of thrill.

"What happened?" O'Laughlin asked.

"I joined without hesitation. I wanted a new life. I wanted to get away, and Jane provided me with the means to do so. Walter bought us a ship, even though I hadn't wanted him to come, and Jane had immediately made me his first mate." Lisbon answered, as her lips moved into a small smile. Jane had been so different back then, especially without the poison of Saffron slowly killing him. "For the first few months, he didn't tell us what we were doing. He was my captain and I trusted him, however that all changed…"

"What changed?"

"He did." Lisbon stated, quietly. "Red John reemerged and he went off the deep end. Jane could navigate our ship, not well, but just enough to get us around and in his Red John haze, he almost destroyed the ship." Lisbon lost her smile; if she hadn't gotten to the helm in time, they all would have found themselves over a waterfall. Jane had literally driven them to the end of the world and had nearly killed them all. "I soon found out that my captain had been keeping a secret; his family had been killed by Red John and he was on the hunt for them." Lisbon paused to take a deep breath, although talking hurt her throat; she felt she needed to tell the rest of this story. "I hadn't known what to say, but he reassured me that everything would be fine. I wished I hadn't listened to him, because he turned out to be a violent drunk. He turned out to be a womanizing swine. He turned out to be just like my father, somebody I couldn't stand in the end."

O'Laughlin squeezed her hand again. "You're free from them now. They can no longer hurt you."

Lisbon shook her head. "I'm never free." She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, before she continued on. "The day you saved me, I was going to quit the Scarlet Oasis. I was going to let Saffron become first mate, what an idiot I was, and I was going to leave the crew forever. I was going to learn to live on my own again, but Jane wouldn't let me. Jane had his claws dug so deeply into me that I couldn't leave. I couldn't escape him or anybody else on this ship. Now, I understand why."

"Why?" O'Laughlin questioned and she opened her eyes to stare at him. "Why couldn't you leave him? He wasn't tying you to the ship. He wasn't blackmailing you, was he?"

"I couldn't leave because of the crew. I couldn't leave because of Saffron." Lisbon responded with a bitter laugh. "If I had known then what I know now, I would have left in a heartbeat. The crew wasn't loyal to me; they only let me think that. Saffron only wanted Jane. I was their useless little toy, and I played right into their hands. Jane told me so too." O'Laughlin remained quiet. "Nights before our dock on Howl Island; Jane and I fought. He had been drunk, like always. The idiot couldn't keep away from the bottle and I had been trying to convince him to stop drinking. It was an endless battle, but somebody had to try. Rigsby and Cho wouldn't, as they didn't want to get involved. Walter had no say in Jane's affairs and Saffron only encouraged his habit." Lisbon felt outraged that Saffron had continued to force Jane into drinking; the bitch had probably known that drinking gave him a temper, but she had only wanted Jane's drinking to force her away. "The drinking wasn't the start of the conversation; it was only the byproduct of the conversation." O'Laughlin raised his eyebrow and she went on to explain, before he could say anything. "Jane had jumped down my throat about Saffron's lack of respect toward him, again. I had warned her days previous that Jane was the Captain and he deserved respect, even though that's a total lie. Jane doesn't deserve any respect; he deserves to rot in hell."

"I can make that happen, my dear." O'Laughlin muttered to her and she smiled. If he could he made that happen, she would be free. She wouldn't feel the need to end her life or become something she wasn't; she would be able to do anything she wanted. _I could even kill Saffron_, Lisbon thought with twisted smile. "I can also kill Kristina for you. Would you like that?"

Lisbon eagerly nodded. "They need to pay for what they've done." She saw the smile across O'Laughlin's face and her heart swelled. She liked when he was happy, because it made her happy. His happiness filled her with a certain amount of warmth, something that she hadn't felt in years.

"What did he do to you?" O'Laughlin asked and Lisbon blinked. It all depended on what occasion he was asking about. "You look confused. Has he hurt you more than once?"

Lisbon bitterly laughed again. "Jane enjoyed using his fists and hands. He rarely used his sword to teach a lesson, but when he did, it left a powerful message behind." She had come close to one of those messages before, but he had never seriously hurt her. He had been rough with her, but it was something she had just come to accept. "The night we fought about Saffron, he hit me. He taunted me, said I was nothing to anybody and that I should just leave." Lisbon stared into O'Laughlin's eyes. "How does anybody deal with being told that? Jane was my best friend and he hurt me. He used me and he'll never understand how much it hurts. How much I wanted to end my life, because of how he paraded me around. I hate him. I hate them all." O'Laughlin nodded.

"You were treated horribly." O'Laughlin remarked. "There is no excuse for that behavior. You were just trying to help him and he hurt you. You deserve to be treated better than that, which is why we are trying to help you." Lisbon nodded again. "We do these things to make you understand that there is more to life than being Patrick's minion." _I was a minion? _Lisbon questioned silently. It had never actually occurred to her that Jane's behavior had been his way of making her conform to his silly beliefs; that she was nothing, Saffron was everything, and he was never wrong.

But it backfired; Jane had probably never expected O'Laughlin to save her. He had probably never expected for Captain Red John to be on her side. The Red Rum wasn't made of enemies, the Scarlet Oasis was. Nobody on the Red Rum wanted her dead, everybody on the Scarlet Oasis did. And if it weren't for Craig O'Laughlin, Saffron and Jane would have killed her by now; they would have ran their blades through her chest and laughed, as she bled across the wooden floor of the main deck.

She'd die alone, all because she had tried to help them.

O'Laughlin offered her hand another friendly squeeze. "You did the right thing, but Patrick didn't appreciate you or it. He's a selfish man, who only cared about his sexual prowess and who saw you as his conquest."

Lisbon couldn't help but agree. She had almost been Jane's conquest. "I agree." She felt her throat constrict and her eyes prick with tears; Jane had been absolutely horrible to her and she had continued to stay? How dumb had she been? "I was a fool to believe he cared about me. I was a fool to trust Saffron. I…" she trailed off. The past eight years had been a total lie and she had fallen for it—for Jane's lies, for Saffron's friendship, for the crew's concern—when really, they had just wanted her dead and out of their lives. Lisbon blinked back the tears. Could she trust anybody? Did anybody actually care about her? O'Laughlin squeezed her hand again and through her blurry vision, she smiled at him. Of course, it had completely slipped her mind; she did have somebody who she could trust. She had Craig O'Laughlin, who wouldn't lie to her. Who wouldn't use her. Who wouldn't see her as a conquest. "I'm sorry for taking up your time; I'm not worth it, but thank you for listening to me. Thank you for saving me." O'Laughlin removed his hand from hers and brought it toward her face, where she flinched in response. Lisbon saw the brief frown cross his face, before he stroked her cheek. She did trust him, but she was still afraid he was going to punish her.

"It was no problem," O'Laughlin responded, as he continued to stroke her cheek, "you are worth my time. I do all of this for you, because I love you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I think you've got the wrong person…

Thanks to Frogster, ShunKickShunKers, Loes-chan, and Little-Firestar84 for the reviews! I also want to say thank you to all the alerters and favoriters, thank you all for the lovely support. It makes me happy!

Just one little note: Grace is alive. :)

* * *

><p><strong>11—<strong>

"I see a bunch of trees; we must be nearing Governor's Island." Jane said to Cho, as they both stood atop the helm. Cho eyed Jane from the wheel; his hands gently moving the wheel to steer the ship into port.

"How is that any different from any other island?" Cho questioned. "It's trees; they don't change."

"Ah, my friend." Jane replied with a large smile, amusement in his tone. "You don't get out much do you? Trees change all of the time. These trees are special." Cho continued to glance at him.

"Trees aside," Cho responded, "do you have a plan for this island?" Of course he did; he wouldn't let his crew go without a plan, even if the plan was concocted right before they went. All he knew was that they needed to talk to the Governor, and from what Jane remembered, the Governor wasn't a nice guy—in fact, the Governor had kicked him out of his manor on various occasions for nonsensical reasons.

"I do have a plan, Cho." Jane stated. "However, you're not going to like it."

"When has that been different from any other time?"

Jane blinked. "I've never asked you to wear a dress before. I've never asked Rigsby to wear a wig either." Cho shook his head and Jane wondered what he was thinking. "Bad idea?"

"Yes."

"No worries then!" Jane reassured him. "That's the backup plan. I was going to let Kris take lead on this and…"

"You're an idiot." Cho repeated from earlier.

"Why?" Jane was confused; Kris knew the island better than most of the crew and she probably wouldn't be kicked out of the Governor's home right away. However, Jane realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Kris hadn't had a good past on either island. He didn't want to be unintentionally spiteful, but they needed the information—Governor's Island was the second island that anybody knew for sure that Red John had ties with, and Kris was probably the only person (besides himself) that could pry the information from the Governor.

"Look at what happened the last time," was all Cho said and Jane shrugged. He hated sending anybody into a bad situation, but it was for the good of their crew and Lisbon. Jane said nothing in response to Cho, because he felt that his silence was a good enough answer.

Even though it was for Lisbon, he admitted to himself that sending Kris on any island related to her past was a bad idea. Manse Island had been because of her parents, though they probably could have avoided that entire situation if she had just told him that her parents lived on that island. She hadn't told him about them; she had told Rigsby. Jane furrowed his brows. Yes, he had been eavesdropping on Kris's private conversation with Rigsby (even though he had been in the supply closet, searching for something for Mashburn), but it didn't mean he still couldn't wonder why she hadn't told him?

What had he done not to be trusted by her? He had made her his first mate. He had given her a home. He had given her almost everything, yet she trusted Rigsby more than anyone else? What made Rigsby such a trustable character? The man hadn't even told him about O'Laughlin and Kris had jumped on him right after Lisbon's disappearance. What had he done to change her mind?

_He didn't sleep with her, did he? _Jane asked himself. He highly doubted it, for he would have known right away, but it didn't stop the question from coming to his mind. He also briefly wondered if her lack of trust in him had anything to do with what they had done together. Jane doubted it, but he still had to ponder.

Governor's Island, on the other hand, wasn't a situation they could avoid. Jane knew Rigsby had contacts there—mainly his parents—but his parents probably didn't know the Governor too well. Kris though knew the Governor on a personal level, which made things easier for them all.

"Where's Kris?" Jane inquired from Cho and Cho shrugged.

"You're supposed to keep track of your first mates. I just navigate." Cho responded and Jane shook his head. "You're the Captain. You're supposed to know where your crew is at all times."

"I might be talented, but I can't see everything." Jane told Cho. Cho shook his head again, before he went back to his work. Jane nearly sighed; he didn't want to go looking for Kris, but he had to. He had to find her and tell her that he needed her assistance, even though, he hated asking for help. Jane glanced up toward the crow's nest. "Ro…"

"What are you doing?" Jane heard Kris's voice behind him and he grinned, as he turned to greet her.

"I found her." Cho said from the wheel and Jane glanced over Kris's shoulder to shake his head.

"Was I lost?" Kris asked both men. Jane shook his head; it wasn't like the woman could get too far, considering she couldn't get off the ship. "I wasn't aware you were having a meeting, otherwise I would have stopped yelling at Mashburn and joined you."

"We weren't having a meeting." Jane answered her. "We were discussing our…"

"His." Cho interrupted.

Jane threw Cho a glare. "…my plans for Governor's Island."

"You have plans?" Kris seemed surprised. "Don't you usually just walk onto an island and announce that you're there? Even if nobody responds to you."

"Not all the time." Jane corrected. "Just most of the time."

"All of the time." Kris argued. "You step onto an island, you look around, and then you decide that you need to piss off the locals. It never goes without fail."

"You have no faith in me."

"I had plenty of faith in you," Kris gave, "before I met you. Lisbon talked you up so much; she had me fooled into thinking you were a decent man." Kris laughed darkly and he glared. "No witty remarks today, Jane? Are you sick?"

Yeah, he was sick.

He was sick of her.

Jane hated being mocked by his own crew, especially by his own first mate. Lisbon had been so much simpler to get along with, but then again, he had to take what he could get.

"How well do you know the Governor?" Jane asked her and she seemed taken aback by his question. Although, he wondered how surprising that question truly was.

"We're just the best of buddies." Kris sarcastically responded. "We get along so well; we might as well have matching tattoos on our..."

He interrupted her, for he got the picture. "How well do you both get along?"

"Did not get my sarcasm earlier?" Kris questioned, as she brought her arms against her chest. "How do you think we get along?"

"I heard your sarcasm, loud and clear." Jane admitted. "However, I need to know how well you'll be able to get this information from him."

"He hates me, Jane." Kris stated. "How do you think it's going to go down?"

Jane had various ideas of how it was going to go down, but he wasn't about to share any of those with her. She didn't trust him, he didn't trust her—it went both ways. Instead, he just smiled at Kris and said, "I have a plan."

"Oh god." Kris exclaimed; her facial expression blooming into one of pure horror. "I quit." Jane rolled his eyes. Kris would never quit, especially as Lisbon was missing—Lisbon was her so-called best friend, after all. "What are you planning now?"

"I need you to distract Bertram."

Kris eyed him, oddly. "Don't even go there; I'm not doing it."

"Do you want to save Lisbon?" Jane knew the question was horrible to ask; of course, they all wanted to save her…but some of them (Kris) hadn't done enough to prove it yet. If Kris distracted Bertram, so he could snoop around in his stuff, he'd get off her back about almost everything.

"You're an asshole." Kris insulted. "I'm not doing anything with him. You're disgusting."

"What are you talking about?" Jane asked her, after a moment of silence.

"She's thinks you want her to seduce Bertram." Cho answered for Kris, and Jane titled his head slightly. He hadn't even thought of that idea, but it was a good idea. Kris, as he had noticed, was attractive and Bertram, being who he was, probably wouldn't be able to resist such a beautiful woman.

However, he wasn't about to do that to her. Kris deserved respect, even though she couldn't give him any.

"I'm not asking you to seduce him, Kris." Jane corrected. "I'm asking you to fight him…"

"With what weapon?" Kris questioned; a twisted smile upon her lips and Jane sighed. How had Lisbon not noticed that she had brought a serial killer pirate on board? "I have my sword, I have my knife, I have my whip, and I have my…"

"You have a whip?" Jane asked in surprise. Hadn't Kris's father used a whip on her? He eyed out of her curiosity. Even if she did have one, he wondered where she kept it.

"Of course, I do." Kris returned. "Would you like to know where?" He slyly nodded and she narrowed her eyes. "That's a secret for me to know, and you to never find out." Jane didn't say anything else about her or her whip, for he was afraid that she'd pull it out and use it on him.

"When I said fight, I didn't mean with a weapon." Jane told her. "I meant with your words. I need you to distract him long enough, otherwise I won't be able to gleam the information from his stuff."

"You're going to steal his stuff?"

"Not steal, really." Jane avoided the question. "We're just going to lift things up, and if the information happens to be there, we'll borrow it without permission."

"Stealing." Cho and Kris responded in unison and Jane frowned; he could never win with them.

"This isn't going to work, Jane." Kris spoke again. "I can only distract Bertram for so long, before he decides to say something to any of us. He's not above throwing out insults or knowledge about you to your face." Kris glanced at her feet and he shifted slightly; had Bertram done that to her before? He had a feeling that the man had, considering Kris's reluctance to discuss the entire situation.

"I get that." Jane replied.

"No," Kris said, "you don't. You think you know, but you don't. The situation is complicated and not something you can understand with the tilt of your eyebrow or a lull in your voice." He watched her grimace. "Pretending you understand anything is going to get you killed, or at the very least, get you injured."

"You're overreacting." Jane waved her off. "I can protect myself."

Kris scoffed. "Were you there?" Jane shook his head. "Then you have absolutely no idea, and until you have an idea, I'd like you to shut your mouth." And Jane did, without being told twice. Some arguments, he had come to realize, just weren't worth having with Kris. "If you need me to distract Bertram, I will. However," she continued on with a shake of her head, "if something goes wrong, it's your entire fault. It's not mine, it's not Cho's, and it's not Rigsby's. It's yours."

Jane rolled his eyes; nothing would go wrong, because Bertram wasn't smart enough to figure anything out.

Within a matter of hours, the entire main crew (with the exception of Mashburn, who had been ordered by Kris to gather supplies), found themselves in the grand foyer of the Governor's manor. Kris wore a deep frown, which he couldn't blame her for—none of Bertram's help had been too kind to any of them, and now, they were all just waiting for the man to appear.

Instead of talking, Jane focused all of his attention on the various painted portraits on the wall, before he glanced back at Kris; the first mate had her arms crossed against her chest and her head turned away from the portraits. He could tell from her foot tapping, eye wandering, and arm crossing actions that she was impatient with waiting in the main foyer. Rigsby and Cho stood off to the side; both ready to fight, if need be, but Jane focused all of his attention on Kris.

"Did you need something?" Kris asked, after a moment of his staring at her. He moved his lips into a faint smile and she sighed. "I'm not in the mood, Jane…"

"You're never in the mood, my dear." Jane responded and he watched her eyes narrow. "I just wanted to ask you about these portraits. I think I might have seen you in one of them, but I'm not entirely too sure." Kris stared at him and he wondered what was going through her mind. Was she cursing him out? Was she imagining how to kill him? Was she trying to read his thoughts? He almost laughed at the last one; Kris wasn't the type of person to care what you thought of her, so her thoughts were most likely tailored toward wanting to kill him and cursing him out for various reasons.

"Point it out." Kris said and Jane eyed her in surprise. He hadn't actually thought she would answer him, considering that the woman enjoyed being stubborn with her answers. Jane hurriedly turned his head to face the portrait wall again, before he pointed at the left lower picture; a somewhat older portrait of two families standing close together—one family considered of a slightly balding man, a slender redheaded woman, and their two children; a brunette boy and a redheaded girl. The other family however, consisted of a regal looking man, a woman that reminded him vaguely of Kris with the same facial structure, and a young brunette girl. "Yes, Jane. That's me."

Jane burst out laughing and Kris continued to narrow her eyes. Of course, he wasn't laughing at the picture—he was laughing at what she was wearing. In the time she had been on the crew, Jane had never seen her outside of a pair of shorts and a shirt. To see her in anything else—especially a maroon colored dress—was both weird and amusing.

He could feel Cho and Rigsby's stare on his back and he turned to glance at them, a large smile across his face. "Kris looks so different in a dress, don't you both think?" Jane waited for them to say anything, but Rigsby glanced at Kris.

"If either of you say one word, I will have you both walking the plank." Kris threatened. "I am not above trying to find shark-infested waters either." Jane watched the look of pure horror cross Rigsby's face, while Cho remained emotionless.

"Word." Jane answered back with a laugh and Kris turned to him, her hands on her hips.

"You keep talking and see how far it gets you." Kris continued her threat, which ultimately amused him. Kris, although she'd try and kill him for saying it, wouldn't hurt him at all; she knew he was too important to Lisbon and after their "activities" together, Kris probably wouldn't want to anger Lisbon even more and who could blame her? Lisbon was murderous when angry. "What are you smiling at?" Kris wore a scowl and he continued to grin.

"Just glad to be alive and looking at pictures of you." Jane stated. Kris said nothing. "So, who are the rest of the people? I see you, looking awfully…"

"If you finish that sentence," Kris threw, "I will end you. I have no qualms about leaving your body on Bertram's floor." Jane couldn't take her seriously, especially with the image of her in a dress in his thoughts.

"You think the Governor would let me have this picture?" Jane asked her and she withdrew her sword. "Testy today, aren't we? I just wanted to know more about your past."

"By being creepy?" Kris questioned, as she raised her eyebrows. "How is that working out for you right now?"

Jane flashed her his teeth. "Considering you're still talking, I'd say pretty well. Now," he paused to point at the picture again, "who are the rest of those people? I'm only curious, because one of them looks like you."

"We've been over this, Jane." Kris said with a sigh. "One of those people is me. I seriously get tired of repeating myself to you, over and over again. I know you don't listen, but get this through your thick skull; the girl in the picture is me. I don't have an evil twin, I don't have siblings, and those lovely people are not-so lovely." Jane could tell she was angry, yet he waited for her to continue on. "Those two "lovely" people next to me? Those are my parents." It made total sense to him, considering that the three looked somewhat alike and compared to the portrait, Kris stood like her father; head held high, legs spread apart, shoulders back—a pose he often noticed on Lisbon, something he liked to call: a fighting stance. Kris obviously felt threatened, but whether it was by him or the Governor, he had no idea.

"And the rest?"

Kris sighed again. "Those individuals would be the Bertram's; pleasant people, really. You've got their power hungry cheating father, Gale Bertram. You've got their dead mother, Kristina Frye-Bertram. You've got the two kids, Grace and…" He could tell she was hesitating, which made him somewhat weary. Was there something threatening about the brunette boy? Had he hurt her also? Jane moved his hand toward his sword, when she glanced at him. Her hazel eyes stared him down and he realized that whoever the boy was, he hadn't physically hurt her. He had only loved her, and she had loved him.

Jane frowned. Who was the boy? He had to know, if only to cure his own building curiosity.

"And the boy?" Jane interrupted her hesitation, to which she only looked annoyed. "Who is he? You said you didn't have a sibling, although you two could be cousins…" Disgust flashed across Kris's face and he nearly chuckled; he knew they weren't related, but he enjoyed getting a rise out of her.

"His name is…was…James." Kris replied back, softly and Jane realized the name sounded familiar. Where had he heard that name before? And then, it came to him.

On Jubilee Island.

James had been Kris's almost fiancé.

"Yes, Jane." Kris interrupted his thoughts. "That James." He brought his eyes up from the portrait to stare at her, as she brought her arms to cross against her chest again. "Make your jokes. Go ahead, I'll even start: how did an attractive boy like that fall for somebody like me? I know, it seems impossible." Kris's lips tilted into a cold smile. "Considering I don't have a heart and all."

If the doors hadn't been open and the island hadn't been hot, the entire room would have frozen over from her voice; she didn't sound inviting and she most certainly didn't sound friendly. She sounded cold and bitter, like a woman scorned by a lover. Of course, as many jokes as he made about her general lack of heart or friendliness, he knew she had a heart; it was just hidden away. Kris had probably been hurt so many times that she had considered her heart to be an enemy, something she had to push away, before others could hurt her again with it. He almost felt sympathy for her, until he realized it was Kris.

And Kris didn't do sympathy. Neither of them did.

Kris's eyes had gone back to the picture. More specifically, they had gone back to staring at James and she looked lost in her thoughts, as a small smile crossed her face. Jane grimaced. What was so great about James? Sure, he came from money. Sure, he had his looks. But what if the guy's personality matched the figurehead of his ship; dull and lifeless? Kris, in his opinion, was better off without James. Kris, in his opinion, needed a strong male and he fit that role perfectly.

James probably wasn't a pirate captain. Jane was.

James probably didn't have a ship. Jane did.

James probably hadn't ever loved Kris. He…

"Alright, Jane." Kris interrupted his thoughts, which relieved him. He never wanted to go down that line of thinking again, even though it made him feel much better. "What's your question? I'm sure you have one, since you have that stupid look on your face."

Jane honestly didn't have a question for her, so he made one up. "Why'd it end? Did you two get into an argument over a nuptial goat gift?" Kris pinched the bridge of her nose, more than likely in irritation.

"What?" And she didn't sound amused. "I hope you know that makes no sense, Jane. Goats can't get nuptials." Kris rolled her eyes. "And by the way, I never answered him. I didn't get the chance to say anything, so there was no wedding." She frowned.

"Would you have said yes?" Jane continued to press his luck; however, Kris wasn't going to have it.

"Is that any of your business?" Kris quipped. "If I didn't tell you the first time, why in the hell would I tell you now? All you need to know is that I have a heart, I'm a human being, and I was in love." He watched her eyes narrow again. "And if you have any problems with that, you can kiss my…"

"Haven't you had enough of that in your lifetime, Kristina?" Jane heard a male's voice ask, and his hand went for his sword again. Was that the Governor speaking? He thought that to be extremely rude; Kris didn't deserve those kinds of comments, unless they were from him in jest. "Your reputation is already bad enough, even though, you could do worse with your mixed company." Jane narrowed his eyes. Not even five minutes with the Governor and Jane continued to hate him. How had Kris survived basically her entire childhood with him? Had she snuck away? Had she gotten drunk on the rum? Had she found a place of her own with James? Jane's heart sunk into his stomach. Had the Governor hurt her too? He didn't even want to think about how many of those crisscrossing scars upon her back, belonged to the hand of Bertram and how many of those scars belonged to her father. Kris, as much as she was a pain, didn't deserve that. Nobody did.

Jane's eyes flickered to Kris, who had her entire anger bared toward Bertram. If the situation hadn't been so dire, he would have grinned—Kris was using her anger on somebody else for once, and that was new to him. Usually, she was on his ass. Usually, she couldn't shut up. Usually, she just didn't leave him alone.

Bertram being on the other side of that wrath made him feel better, only because Bertram was an ass. He clearly deserved it and Jane couldn't wait to see how this would play out.

"I could say the same thing about you," Kris returned, hastily, "after all; you have been sleeping with your help for years. I heard you cheated on your wife, numerous times, and she let you get away with it. I also heard," Jane watched a small smile spread across the brunette's smile, "that you might have killed your wife, because she had become pregnant again. Didn't want a third child, after your children had turned out to be such disappointments?" Jane turned on his heels to stare at Bertram, who lingered on the steps to the upstairs; his face was slightly red and his eyes were bulging. All-in-all, he looked pissed.

"You know nothing, Kristina." Bertram threw back and Jane could tell right away, he was lying. Bertram had given his own self away by talking, because he had accidentally raised his voice. "My children weren't not the disappointments, you were. I should have convinced your father to kill you after you were born, when I had the chance." Kris continued to glare. "The Saffron line has never carried a female before. You were the first and you will be the last. When you talked last with your father, I'm surprised he did not kill you there. You disrespected him, Kristina, and if I were your father…"

"You aren't her father." Jane interrupted, coldly and Bertram turned to stare at him. "You're a crooked old man, who thinks he knows everything and everyone. Truthfully, you're just scared of everything and everyone." Jane's eyes glanced over Bertram's shoulder to see a brief flash of red in the distance. "It's why you keep your daughter locked up."

Kris turned to face him. "Jane! Enough!"

"It's the truth, isn't it?" Jane asked Bertram, as he continued to ignore Kris. "You locked your daughter up, because you didn't want her to be influenced by Kristina. I understand that," Kris probably had her hand on her sword; ready to kill him, "however, Kristina—Kris—isn't around anymore, so you should let her go. If you don't, I wonder what kind of things you've done to her."

Of course, it didn't take a pirate captain (or a Governor) to figure out what that statement meant, as Bertram's lips curled into a cruel smile and he ascended down the wooden steps.

"Let's have a chat, shall we?" Bertram asked, and before Jane could answer him, Kris said one word:

"Yes."

And with the sweep of an arm; they both followed him into his office, which sat beside the painted portraits on the wall, while Cho and Rigsby stayed behind.

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><p>Kris narrowed her eyes on Jane, even as they both stood before Bertram. If the pirate captain had just kept his damn mouth shut; they probably would have been able to get the information about Red John a lot easier.<p>

"I'm not entirely too surprised that you're here, Kristina." Bertram spoke again and Kris forced herself not to react. Bertram wanted a reason to kick them from his house, and she wasn't about to give him one. "Your father wrote that you might show up, so I've been waiting for you for quite a while now." Bertram moved to where he could sit behind his oak desk, before he motioned for them both to join him. Kris declined with the shake of her head, while Jane did take the offered seat with a large smile. "I am surprised however, that you would find yourself with Mr. Jane…"

"It's Captain Jane." Jane interrupted and Kris nearly rolled her eyes; he just couldn't resist correcting everybody about his title, could he? "Mr. Jane was my father, and he didn't own the Scarlet Oasis or a crew."

Bertram ignored him. "…who, I remember having thrown out of my manor many times for his reckless behavior and careless mouth." Kris eyed Jane, who continued to grin. He hadn't told her that he had been there before, but he had probably not thought the information to be "pertinent" enough to share with her. "I'm also clueless, because you aren't his usual handler."

Kris heard Jane scoff. "I don't need a handler, Bertram."

"It's Governor Bertram, _Captain _Jane." Bertram's tone was of ice and Kris grimaced. Jane had more important things to be focused on than trying to start fights with the ignorant governor, who thought they knew nothing. "I'm not saying you need a handler, Captain," Bertram had turned his intense gaze on Jane, "I'm just saying I remember seeing a brunette with you before. You might think me inattentive, but I notice and remember everything that happens in my home." She witnessed him briefly glance in her direction, which made her almost want to laugh—Bertram just thought he noticed everything. The Governor hadn't noticed when she and his son had been together, for the relationship would have been disgraced by both families, until he had caught them both together in his son's bed.

Of course, the discovery of their "secret" relationship had disastrous results for the other relationships within the Bertram family also; especially the relationship between Grace, Bertram's youngest daughter, and the man she had been engaged to marry. Kris had felt horrible for indirectly ruining the relationship, but James had once said that the fiancé had been somebody he wouldn't even consider allowing his daughter to marry.

"It's nice to know that somebody has a good memory, Governor." Jane returned, civilly and Kris lost her composure briefly to grimace at him. He just couldn't stop pressing his luck, could he? Also, he wasn't even supposed to be sitting down—he was supposed to have been snooping around in Bertram's things. Had the plan changed without him telling her? She would have cursed out his stupidity, if it weren't for the fact that Jane spoke again. "Obviously, we're not here for a social call. We're here about something of a bit more importance."

Kris hoped he wasn't going to bring up the topic of Red John on that line, honestly. If he did, he was the world's largest idiot.

"Which would be what, Captain Jane?" Bertram questioned and Jane shifted in his seat, before he answered Bertram with a large smile across his face.

"Tell me how much you know about the Red Rum." Kris could have killed him. Jane was the so-called master of subtle, and he wasn't even going to be subtle with Bertram? Her hands itched to go around his neck, because his entire "plan" (if it could even be called a plan anymore) wasn't going to get them all anywhere! Bertram remained quiet. "Surely, you know something about it? I can't imagine a man of your _prestige_ not knowing anything about it." And now he was going to be subtle? Yeah, her sword was going to find his neck later. He was blowing this entire thing to hell and there was absolutely nothing she could do.

"I know that Red John is the captain." Bertram informed him. Kris eyed the Governor in mute surprise. She hadn't even been expecting him to answer _that _question, considering he usually grew quiet around business things, which made her weary and highly on edge. Why was Bertram answering Jane's questions? "I also know the Red Rum hasn't always been his ship, considering he used to captain the Red Light Armada."

"Years ago, of course." Jane inputted and Bertram nodded. "How often does he come here?"

Bertram shook his head from behind his desk. "I haven't done business with Red John in three years, Captain Jane." Whether or not Bertram was lying, she had no idea. Jane, on the other hand, merely continued to smile. If he had been telling the truth, why would Bertram have just given up Red John without being killed? Red John had killed for less before, and Bertram's death wouldn't have inconvenienced the pirate captain too much.

"You're good," Jane said, after a moment of complete silence, "you'll almost too good." Kris was confused. What was the man on about now? Hadn't he already said enough? "If it weren't for the slight tell of your eyes staying on mine, I would have believed you. You shouldn't lie to me, Governor Bertram." Jane continued to flash his smile. "Now, what do you know of their current location?" Bertram opened his mouth with a grimace and Jane shook his head. "And if you lie, I will tell the entire island about the horrible treatment of your only daughter…" Kris wished he'd stop bringing up the entire daughter thing, because it probably held no truth to it.

Bertram stood from his desk and crossed his arms against his chest, as he stared down at Jane with a grimace across his face. "Captain Jane, my daughter isn't being held anywhere. She simply chooses to remain in her room." Kris knew he was lying, and she felt absolutely disgusted with him. How could the asshole keep his daughter locked away? Was he not a decent human being? "After the unfortunate loss of her fiancé, it takes much to pull her away from her studies." Bertram threw a look at her and she merely smiled back; if he wasn't going to blame her for _his _treatment of his own daughter, she hoped Jane would give him hell. Jane said nothing in response to him, as he continued on. "I admire your ability to engage in small talk, Captain, but I do not appreciate it." Bertram sent another glance toward Jane. "If you're going to ask me about Red John, then please do so. I'm a busy man, as I _do _have an entire island to run."

Kris glanced at Jane, who stood up from his seat also. "Where's Red John, Governor?" Jane had wasted no time at all in asking that question, which normally, would have definitely amused her. Unfortunately, his timing with the entire question was just horrible.

"I have no idea," Bertram responded with a small smile and Kris gritted her teeth together; he was lying again, "but when you do find him, let me know." Bertram turned on his heels and Kris cleared her throat, which had both men glance at her. Jane shook his head, but she ignored him. He hadn't followed his plan, so why should she have to stay quiet?

"You know exactly where Red John is, Gale." Kris said. She refused to show respect toward the aging Governor, who wore a bemused expression. "If you don't tell us," though she knew she'd regret this action later, she thought of her whip, "I will give you what my father once gave me."

Bertram's laugh—powerful and loud—filled her ears. "You silly little girl. You honestly think you could touch me? I'm not weak like you were." Rage filled Kris's face. She hadn't been weak! Her father had used her love for him against her and if _love _was weak, then everybody was weak. "You hit me with anything, Kristina, and I'll have you and your entire crew in prison to be executed." Kris didn't glance at Jane, who was probably discouraging this entire conversation with his eyes, as she stepped closer to Bertram's desk. Her hands graced the top of his desk, before she glanced at him again. "I'll even invite your father to the execution," Bertram leaned closer to her, his breath hot against her ear as he proceeded to whisper to her, "I'm sure he'd just love to pull the trigger to end the disgrace you've brought upon the Saffron name, you wench."

Kris flinched in response, as if Bertram had slapped her across the face.

Her father had used the word _wench _plenty of times with her. Usually though, he used it right before and after he hit her.

Before Bertram could hit her (or Jane could say anything else to anybody), she tore from the room and from the manor, with the intention of never coming back to Bertram or to Jane.


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **Um…no.

Thanks to Frogster and ShunKickShunKers for the reviews! I will be replying to them shortly, but I thought I'd go ahead and get this chapter up. :)

The next chapter will be posted the 2nd of July. Yay! :) (I can't say much about chapter 13, but it's one of my personal favorites.)

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><p>"Where are you going?" Kris heard Rigsby's voice ask, as she threw open the front door to Bertram's manor and was immediately greeted by the mid-August heat. She had her back turned to him, but she could still feel his eyes on her; his continuing stare was enough to make her turn back around to face him. "Is everything okay, Kris?" The distinct concern written across his face made her rethink all of the scathing words at the tip of her tongue.<p>

"It's none of your business." Her response probably hadn't been the most fitting (or the most respectable), but it was better than throwing an insult toward either one of them. Instead of sticking around to hear a response; she stepped outside the large manor, slammed the door behind her, and clenched her fists tightly together. Kris hated playing the blame game, mainly because it was pointless, but this time; she had several people she could blame this entire mess on, and she had several people that she would have loved to punch in the face.

Jane, mostly. If the pirate captain hadn't said anything to Bertram, the Governor probably wouldn't have come after her with all of those spiteful comments about who she was, and if the stupid captain hadn't lost track of his first mate, they would have never needed to go on some long, pointless journey that had led to nothing but major disappointments. Sure, she could blame Lisbon, but where was the point in that?

Bertram was an ass, she couldn't deny that. The Governor had completely ruined his family _and _hers, all because he cared more about power and money; if the two families had just agreed that they had been on equal standings with each other, she and James would have been happily married and she would have never met Jane or Lisbon.

Her feet carried her down the long, winding path from the Governor's manor, as she tried to still her rushed breaths.

Kris didn't want to cry again; she just wanted to forget, and she knew exactly how to do that.

Inside the Jagged Tavern; one of the only pirate bars on Governor's Island, Kris collapsed into one of the bar stools and cradled her head in her hands. The smoke from various pipes hung heavily in the air, and the men around her, for most women wouldn't frequent an establishment full of booze, spoke in low tones. Bertram had ears everywhere, and nobody wanted to be executed for treason.

"What can I get you, miss?" Kris heard the gruff voice of the bartender, over the men chuckling loudly behind her. She pulled her head from her hands and glanced at the young bartender—short dark hair, brown eyes, firm jaw line—in front of her and she frowned lightly. Kris didn't care what drink she was having, as long as it would distract her from her thoughts, however, she had learned the hard way that saying "whatever" to a bartender was a bad idea.

With an equally gruff voice, she responded back, "rum." The bartender said nothing, as he fingered a semi-clean, yet slightly chipped glass from the counter and found a bottle layered with fingerprints. When she and James had gone drinking years ago, she had always managed to stick with mead. However, mead—honey wine—reminded her of home and she didn't want to be reminded of anything personal. She wanted to forget about her parents. She wanted to forget about Bertram. She wanted to forget about Lisbon. She wanted to forget about Jane. The bartender sat the drink down in front of her and she hurriedly downed the first glass, her lips quirking into a grimace at the taste.

"Strong, isn't it?" Kris heard somebody ask from beside her, and she turned her head to stare at the brunette man, who moved his own glass toward his lips. She narrowed her eyes; couldn't anybody leave her alone? She was trying to drink for a _reason_. "Miles won't tell anybody else what he puts inside of his rum, but it tastes better than the regular stuff." Kris said nothing. "How about I buy you another drink? You look troubled and what better way to cure a problem than a drink?" She thought about flipping off the guy, when the bartender sat another drink down in front of her. "Enjoy."

Kris downed the second drink with a frown. "Thanks."

"It's no problem." The man continued to sip from his drink, as she waved for another one. "You might want to slow down though. Alcohol poisoning isn't something you want." Kris couldn't argue with that statement, considering that alcohol poisoning had visited her once or twice on Jubilee Island. "I know I shouldn't ask…"

"You really shouldn't." Kris agreed in a snarl. Most pirates kept to themselves. Most pirates hated asking questions of others, but this guy just wouldn't leave her alone.

"…but is something a matter?" The guy continued and Kris sighed.

"You mean beside my life?" Kris dryly commented and the good looking guy chuckled. "Not really. I'm just under a lot of stress." She doubted everybody had to deal with being the first mate to a Captain, who acted like a two-year-old most of the time, whilst searching for a foolish first mate, who had run off on her own accord. The guy continued to stare at her and she shrugged. What harm could happen to her by telling the stranger a story? "My best friend is missing. I'm temporary first mate to an idiot captain, and I feel like I'm babysitting the Captain's crew the entire time." She continued to frown. How had Lisbon dealt with being the man's first mate for so long? Did she have some special kind of drug or alcohol that had allowed her to deal with the man's brand of stupidity? Kris doubted any of that was actually possible, but the ex-first mate had put up him for eight years without actually killing him. "Not to mention, he and I probably aren't on the best of terms right now, because I stormed off from the Governor's manor without telling him or his officers, where I was going." In hindsight, that probably hadn't been her smartest move. Kris had always prided herself on her intelligence, but she knew that her lack of telling anybody where she was going could always come back and bite her in the ass. The guy beside her gave a gentle frown, as she downed her third glass of rum. She wondered how many more it would take, before she was completely gone and oblivious to the world and everything around her.

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><p>Jane narrowed his eyes on Bertram, as Kris sped out the doors from his office and slammed one of them behind her; the ugly portraits, which sat in Bertram's office shifted slightly from the powerful motion, while the Governor continued to smile. He wanted to be angry with Kris for running out again, but he couldn't be. Whatever Bertram had whispered into her ear had apparently sent her over the already thin edge, which confused Jane. The temporary first mate usually kept her sanity intact, but he had noticed lately that nothing seemed to be going right for the brunette.<p>

Bertram spoke, before Jane could ask the man what he had said. "Now, we can talk. Women have absolutely no place in business affairs, Captain Jane." The Governor continued to grin. "Could I interest you in something to drink? Rum, perhaps? Pirate captains like rum, don't they?" Jane gritted his teeth and shook his head; his drinking, while he'd never admit it out loud, had gotten them all into trouble in the first place. He wondered why he would even want to drink, if he had been completely sober for three months. A slight smile crossed his face; if Lisbon had been around, she would have been shocked—especially as he and alcohol had always been the best of buddies. "No? Brandy, perhaps?" Bertram went on with his offers, as he lifted a bottle of red liquid out from his desk. "It's the best I've got, as I'd rather not become like Governor Wainwright; what an idiot he is, really."

Jane had to agree. Wainwright had the behavior patterns of a twelve-year-old, who had no idea when enough was enough. However, he wouldn't say any of that to Bertram's face.

"How can you attract seagulls with alcohol, anyway? The creatures aren't attracted to human liquids, as they've got entire oceans to drink out of." Bertram shook his head, as he poured himself a glass. "The seagulls of the islands are smarter creatures than that." Jane thought Bertram was an idiot for even continuing on the subject of seagulls and their lack of skills to become alcoholics with wings.

Jane quirked his lips into a smile at the sudden lull in the room; he saw Bertram open his mouth again, but Jane wouldn't have it. He couldn't take the words from the petty Governor anymore. "You, my good sir, are a greedy cold bastard, who should be taken out back and hung for gluttony." Before Bertram could say a word (or have him apprehended), Jane was already out in the foyer with Rigsby and Cho. "Well, that went well. Shall we all get drunk now?" Rigsby stared. Yes, his joke about alcohol probably hadn't been the _best_, but it worked. "What?"

"That's not the best idea, Captain." Cho commented and Jane rolled his eyes. Anybody with common sense could have told him that.

"You're right." Jane dryly agreed. "However, I think we all should leave now." He had tried to avoid from throwing his head over his shoulder; he doubted Bertram would come after them, but he couldn't risk any of them being detained for "irritating the Governor". Lisbon needed him, after all.

"Correction." Rigsby interrupted, much to the annoyance of Jane. "Cho and I should leave; you should go scour the island and find your first mate." Jane raised his eyebrow in question, but neither male pirate looked away.

"Kris didn't go back to the ship?" He gritted his teeth again. Hadn't anybody learned anything from what had happened to Lisbon? Rigsby shook his head and Jane took a deep breath; getting angry with his crew and killing one of them probably wouldn't have been the best idea at the moment. "Why didn't either one of you follow her?" His temper was slowly rising—Kris, while she could take care of herself and others, should have never been allowed out of the Governor's manor by herself. The brunette, if angry enough, could cause more than enough problems for them all and they seriously didn't need to be thrown in the brig. "Just because Red John has taken one of our own doesn't mean he won't take another." Lisbon had been an extremely important part of the ship, both to him and to the crew. If Red John had any notion of how important Kris was to them all, especially him, the pirate captain would have a hit out on her head also. "Both of you, go search the town square. I'll take the outlying parts of town, she has to be somewhere on this island." He didn't wait for them to respond, as he hurried out from the manor.

He had to find Kris; he had to save her, unlike how he had been unable to save Lisbon. If he couldn't save Kris, he'd never be able to forgive himself for losing two first mates in less than a year.

As his feet hurried down the long path from the Governor's manor, his thoughts briefly went to Lisbon. He hadn't given her much thought lately, which flooded him with a sense of guilt. He hadn't wanted to think about her possible fates with Red John, but he knew she deserved to be thought about. Sure, his thoughts wouldn't save her; they just made him feel better about their lack of progress.

Nearly four months since her disappearance and they had been almost everywhere looking for her, Red John and O'Laughlin to no avail. He didn't want to stop looking for his best friend, but eventually, he knew he would have to. Eventually, the crew would deem her dead (loyalties or not) and they'd all move onto something else. Yes, she had left on her own and yes, one of the Scarlet Oasis rules had always been: off the ship, on your own, but he couldn't let her be led to slaughter. She had broken many rules for him, at the cost of her own title and life, which was one of the various reasons why he felt the continuous need to drag them all from island to island in pursuit for the Red Rum.

He also knew Kris would never forgive him, if he just let Lisbon die. Hell, he'd never be able to forgive himself.

As for Kris, if Red John had taken her from him as well, he wouldn't know what to do. Kris had kept him continuing on in his search for Lisbon and though, he had been a total ass to her and she had been grating on his nerves, he would never wish harm upon her. Neither woman had deserved being a pawn within his and Red John's games and the next time he saw them both—alive—he'd give them hugs, and tell them both how much of an idiot he had truly been.

Jane had been just about to give up hope of finding Kris, as he stepped past the dark alleyway between the Jagged Tavern and some unmarked residence, hours after he had begun his search, when the silence around him became broken by the sound of a stifled giggle. In curiosity, the pirate captain glanced down the candlelit alleyway only to find two youthful individuals enjoying a late night out. He vaguely remembered doing the same thing with Angela, once or twice years ago, with a small smile across his face, as he almost stepped past the alleyway with a content hum.

He probably would have left the two alone—the girl backed against one of the alleyway walls, the boy at her neck—if he hadn't noticed the coloring of her boots, which reminded him of Kris's. In trepidation, he unsheathed his sword and edged closer, silence and the shadows cloaking him well.

"…the Captain will be pleased to have you, and I will be rewarded with riches." Jane heard the boy utter, which caused a flare of panic to spread throughout his entire body. Which Captain? And though he couldn't see the girl's face; he hoped it wasn't Kris's. "However, first—a little taste wouldn't hurt." Jane watched the boy go for the girl's tan shorts; the boy's nimble fingers tugged at the material, while the girl shifted her head in his direction and he froze. The female, he realized in horror, was none other than Kris.

He hurriedly stepped from the shadows to place his sword against the boy's neck. "What are you doing to my first mate, boy?" The boy didn't turn his head or move. "Answer me!" Jane was livid with rage; his body shaking slightly. He wanted to send a sword through the boy's chest, but he couldn't, not until he figured out if Kris was willingly participating in the action, anyway.

"Until you rudely interrupted us," the boy answered smoothly, "we were going to have a little fun. Wasn't that right, Kristina?" Jane's eyes went to Kris, who quickly nodded, as a goofy smile blossomed across her lips. He felt a shiver of fear wrap around his heart; Kris had never been _that _silent before, which scared him; what had the boy done to her? "Now, if you don't mind." The boy, even with a sword against his neck, pressed his lips against Kris's, who remained eerily still. Without a doubt, Jane knew she had been drugged with something. Jane applied more pressure to his sword, which caused a ribbon of blood to trail from the boy's neck, before he pulled back from Kris with a grimace.

"If you don't step away from her," Jane threatened, as he lowered his voice—he didn't want to startle Kris, even if she probably was so far gone to care, "I will kill you, you miserable son of a…"

"Mr. Jane," the boy started, "if you even try and kill me, I will kill your whor…" Jane didn't let the boy finish his sentence, as he pulled the boy from Kris and sent his sword through his chest; the blade gleaming red, as he swiftly removed the blade and shoved the boy to the ground.

The lifeless body of the boy collapsed; a pool of blood blemished the ground around his feet, which he ignored to turn his gaze on Kris. Unfortunately for him, Kris had also decided to collapse; she held her head in her hands, her eyes (from what he could tell) were closed, and the large slit in her gray shirt exposed her breasts.

Jane tried not to stare at the exposed flesh, which he remembered being extremely firm from when they had slept together weeks ago, trapped within a black bra. He also tried to be angry with her, just to distract his thoughts from being anything but pure, but he couldn't; Kris certainly hadn't asked to be drugged, and he couldn't get angry with her for something that wasn't entirely her fault.

He glanced around the alleyway—all quiet and still—and he knew they needed to leave, before anybody found the boy's body and tried to accuse them both of murder. Kris, Jane realized silently, probably wouldn't be able to walk in her current state and if he tried to carry her aboard the Scarlet Oasis looking like she currently was, someone on the crew would cry afoul at her state of undress.

He knew how to fix that though.

Without care, he slid off his own white shirt and draped it over her upper body, before he bent over and slowly lifted her from the dirt ground. She remained unresponsive against his bare chest, as he started the journey back to their ship in the dead of night.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

Thanks to Frogster for the amazing review!

Four chapters left now! :)

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><p>With a pounding headache, Kris reluctantly opened her eyes. The wooden ceiling above her spun, as she quickly blinked and cursed under her breath. James had once again allowed for her to consume way too much alcohol, which pissed her off. The last time he hadn't stopped her, she had managed to break into the local church and vomit into a collection plate. Luckily, she was happy that she had a distain toward churches. Otherwise, she would have felt the need to apologize for the bad smell and the tarnished metal.<p>

"James!" Kris managed through her splitting headache. "Get your ass out here or you get nothing for a week, you miserable…" Kris heard the sound of something near her head shutting and she turned her head with the expectation of getting kissing on the forehead. Instead, a bluish-green eyed bastard stared down at her with a smug smile across his face. "What the fuck do you want?" Kris had her teeth clenched tightly together, as Jane slid into the seat next to the bed. It was then, with a panic, that she realized she wasn't in her bed back home or on the ship. She was in Jane's bed and the expression upon his face—the upturned smirk—made her fear the worst.

Had they slept together _again_?

Her eyes narrowed, as she moved to sit up with the intent of murdering the pirate captain brutally. Her hands itched to go for one of her various weapons when she realized something about her top didn't feel right.

Kris took a small peek toward her chest, which she found to be nearly exposed and her fist connected with Jane's nose. She ignored Jane's cursing, as she blew on her fists and cracked her knuckles. Had Jane's nose become a lot harder to break, considering he wasn't bleeding? Or did she need to work out with the crew more?

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Kris asked in a snarl. Killing headache or not, her fists were ready to punch him again. "Exposing my chest this time is a low blow, you sick asshole." Kris couldn't stop cursing, as sunlight spilled into the room. Of course, Jane was behind the sunlight and if she could have moved without the world spinning, she would have punched him until his nose was completely broken.

"It's not what it looks like." Jane interrupted her internal rant of hatred. He had his hand pressed to his nose, which made her feel a million times better.

"Then what is?" Kris questioned, as she crossed her arms against her chest. Jane's eyes went to her exposed chest and she glared. "You've seen enough of these, so avert your eyes." Jane did so, quickly. "Did you find me drunk and have your wicked way with me?" Jane eyed her in surprise and she continued on. "Just tell the truth, you'll feel better; it's not like this hasn't happened to me before."

Some unnamed emotion flashed across Jane's face, which caused him to lose his smile. She nearly grinned at his reaction; he needed to be knocked down a few pegs.

"I didn't do this!" Jane argued.

Kris glanced around the room. "You're the only one here." She bitterly laughed. "Did one of yours and good old Governor Bertram's buddies come after me on your orders?" Jane looked horrified. "Let me guess. I'm the ship's wench now, yes? When will Mashburn or Rigsby be here to take their turns?" She tried to keep her face free from all expressions, as her eyes darted toward the closed door from Jane's Quarters. "Did you just not get your turn yesterday? Is that why you're here?" Kris felt the burning need to mention Lisbon, because she had felt that he had done this once before with Lisbon, like he had done with her months ago. However, she had no proof and calling Lisbon a whore wasn't something she wanted to do to her best friend.

Before she could say anything else, Jane's voice filled the room. "Who said anything about you being a wench, Kristina?" She hissed angrily. He had no right to use her full name! "What we did weeks ago doesn't make you a wench. It doesn't even change a damned thing between us." Kris couldn't believe that, as the idiot had been catching small glimpses of her breasts. She would have called him out on it, but he continued on, before she could. "I saved your life, Kris. I deserve to be thought of as better than this." Kris looked down at her breasts with a scowl. Obviously, she was still alive and Jane was using his overactive imagination, as he had forced her into having sex with him again. "How much of last night do you remember?"

What kind of a question was that? She glanced up at him with a scowl.

"I drank. I ran from Bertram. You drugged me." Kris accused. "You then proceeded to have your way with me, as I'm _just _your property." Hangovers made her bitchy. While most people could get away with just vomiting and having a horrible headache, she could not—because under normal circumstances, she would have never said anything like that to him. "What would you like me to do next, _Captain_?" She spit sarcastically. "Get on my knees for you? Open my mouth and take in your…?"

A hand went across her mouth; it was Jane's.

She waited for him to tilt his hand slightly, before her teeth clamped down on the fleshy skin between his pointer finger and the thumb. Jane let out a cry, as he pulled his hand away from her mouth. "Rough enough for you yet, master?"

The room went silent and Kris stood from the bed. Jane cradled his hand and Kris stepped toward the doors from his room, when she heard his voice. "I didn't touch you, someone else did."

"Who?" Kris scoffed. Jane had told enough tall tales that she couldn't believe him, even if he was being completely honest with her. "A ghost?" She had her fingers on the doorknob, as Jane spoke again.

"You were almost raped." Jane sounded angry, which made her roll her eyes. Of course, it had almost happened. Jane had done it, and he just couldn't own up to the lapse in his common sense. "You were drugged by the bartender, you were brought outside the tavern, and you were pushed against a wall. You had a man's hand on your pants when I found you."

Kris remembered her and Jane's tryst months ago; Jane's fingers in her, her back against the wall, and the way he had violated her the first time. She shivered again. Was there something about her that invited unwelcomed touches and advances? Kris had only ever wanted James' touch and the warmth of his body on hers, but that hadn't exactly worked out.

She twisted her head to glance at Jane, who wore a frown. "Red John should have taken me instead; at least I would have been saved from you." Kris knew from the darkness in Jane's eyes that she had just stepped way out of line. Her father had always preached on Red John's commandments for his ship, not that she had ever listened to him though—aside from the line about Red John wanting to save _everybody _from misfortune. She watched Jane shoot from his chair and run toward her, to which she pulled frantically at the door. She didn't want him touching her again. She didn't want to become the victim again. Jane's loud footsteps reminded her of Timothy Carter's, right before he had forcibly taken her against the wall years ago; his pale hand against her cheek out of anger for disobeying his order to strip.

Kris recoiled, as Jane grabbed ahold of her shoulders. Instead of fighting, she slowly moved her legs apart and ground her hips against his pelvic area; she had her eyes closed, as she felt Jane's hand press against her face.

"What are you doing, Kris?"

She had a million answers for that. It was what Timothy Carter had taught her to do. It was what her father had expected her to do, and she had been doing it to make him hurt her less.

"Giving you want you want." Kris informed him, as her lips inched toward his neck and he pushed back with a frown. "Come on, _Captain_." Kris tried to still her anger at being pushed back, but the words just wouldn't stop. "Teach me a lesson in respect. You've got me where you want me." Kris grabbed his hand and moved it toward her pants. "I'll even guide you in, until you make me…"

Jane stepped back. "I don't want that from you."

"You wanted it from Lisbon." Kris whispered and Jane said nothing. "You have me at your complete disposal. I'm bowing down to you, like you have always wanted. What more can I do?" Jane remained quiet. "You have nothing to say? That's new." Kris paused to inhale sharply. "Tell me, Patrick, what makes Lisbon so special to you? Is it her eagerness to please you? Or was it the fact that she was at your beck and call? _Do this, Lisbon. Do that, Lisbon. Babysit, Lisbon. Red John is mine, Lis_..."

Kris heard the loud shatter of glass and she glanced at Jane, who had thrown his hand into the mirror near them both—the white skin of his arm dotted with blood, as he narrowed his eyes.

"Can't handle the truth, can you?" Kris continued, smugly.

"I should have left you in that alleyway." Jane retorted and Kris rolled her eyes. He didn't have it in him. "At least the alleyway rats would have found your body useful for nesting purposes." Kris clenched her fists together; he just couldn't shut up, could he?

"You're right." Kris threw back. "I'm useless and worthless on this ship." Jane opened his mouth to interrupt, but she wouldn't have it. "I should just kill myself to save you the trouble, shouldn't I?"

Jane's face lost all traces of his previous anger. Kris smugly stared on. She had finally beaten him at his own game, and it felt so good.

"Don't do that." Jane stated.

"Why not?" Kris asked. "You sent me to my parents' island in hopes they'd finish me off." In her rational state of mind, she knew he hadn't intended for her parents to try and do anything to her. However, her anger and hangover blinded her. "Come on, Jane. Tell me why I shouldn't shoot myself!" She wanted to bring out one of her guns, but she didn't want to show him where she kept _all _of her weapons. "It'll only take one bullet and I'd let you shoot it."

"I can't do that." Jane had apparently decided _then _was a good time to grow a conscience, because any other time, the idea of a conscience would be lost on them all from him.

Kris gritted her teeth in annoyance. "Why the hell not?"

And in one rushed breath, Jane replied. "Because I care more about you than I should, damn it!" And the room fell completely silent.

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><p>Craig greeted her with a soft smile, as he stepped back into the dimly lit bedroom with a piece of fruit in his hand. Lisbon held out her smooth and clean hand in order to receive the fruit that he had been so gracious to supply her with.<p>

The moment he put the fruit in her hand, she held the plump strawberry to her mouth and bit down; the sweet, red juice of the still ripening fruit mingled with her tongue. Craig watched her with a trace of amusement on his face, before he joined her on the edge of the bed and took her unoccupied hand.

"Good?" Craig asked and Lisbon nodded. "Do you want anymore?" Her stomach grew excited at the idea of having more food in her system, but she shook her head. Captain Red John had done more than enough for her and she wasn't about to trouble the good captain or his first mate for more, when she certainly didn't deserve it. Craig said nothing for a moment, while his eyes quickly skimmed over her body and she felt heat pooling up in her cheeks. "You look lovely this morning."

"Thank you." Lisbon tried to not show her discomfort in the low cut black dress that she had found on her bed that morning. Craig's eyes lingered on her exposed breasts, which had her wondering if putting on the dress and parading around the Red Rum would be enough to make him say her name.

"Today is a big day," Craig spoke again and she swallowed the last bit of strawberry, as her entire focus went to the first mate, who wore a smile. She briefly remembered when people had called her the first mate and the feeling of pride that had spread throughout her body, but she squashed the tendril of thought; the Red Rum was in better hands with Captain Red John and First Mate O'Laughlin in charge than the Scarlet Oasis was with Captain Jane and First Mate Saffron, and she knew she shouldn't bemoan her position on the ship. Craig continued, "the Captain has requested my presence upon the shore today." Lisbon tried not to frown at his words. Craig had promised a few days ago to teach her the ropes of the Red Rum, but finding the time to do so had been nearly impossible. In the mornings upon the ship, Craig had to delegate orders to the various crew members on deck while tending to her delicate needs; the first mate had been helping her body heal from all of the saving that Jacobs' had given her out of need. In the evenings, Craig took separate dinners with the Captain and herself, making sure she had the one thing she truly needed and wanted; a friend. "This means, somebody else will be teaching you about our ship."

She tensed in apprehension. Somebody else who wasn't Craig O'Laughlin? Her eyes  
>went to his, only to find that he was kindly smiling at her.<p>

"I won't always be around, due to the Captain's needs." Craig explained, calmly. Even though she knew he couldn't dedicate every moment of his time to her, it still didn't mean she couldn't feel a small amount of jealousy toward the Captain. Her lip trembled. Was he leaving her also? "I'm not leaving you. I'm merely introducing you to somebody else you can trust, in case I'm ever not around you."

Lisbon blinked. Trust? Aside from Craig and Captain Red John, she had absolutely no one else left to trust in the world. Craig's proposal of someone else to trust made her weary, but she squashed the ill feeling down; Craig had done everything to help her out at the risk of his own spot on the ship and she shouldn't be so ungrateful.

"He won't hurt you, I promise that." Craig continued on. "He knows what you've been through and he wouldn't go against my orders." Relief flooded her body. If Craig could vouch for his friend and fellow crew member, it meant she was safe. "Okay?" Lisbon opened her mouth to respond, when someone knocked on Craig's door. "Come in!" She watched the door swing open to reveal a well-built redheaded man dressed in all blacks. His face held no smile, as he limped into the room with his cane and took ahold of Craig's hand. "Good morning, Navigator Carter."

Navigator Carter's lips moved into a small smile. "Good morning to you also, First Mate O'Laughlin."

Lisbon watched their interaction, intrigue coloring her face. On the Scarlet Oasis; first name or last name greetings without the officer title were highly encouraged. Jane had been adamantly against his crew bickering over a swabbie status versus a high officer status amongst the crew, which had never made much sense to her. Everybody, in her opinion, needed to know their importance on the crew and not telling them, just caused more problems later on.

"The Captain has requested my presence this morning; something about purchasing his latest glass vial." Navigator Carter seemed taken aback by Craig's comment and Lisbon continued to listen, mainly out of curiosity. Why would an innocuous object, such as a glass vial used for holding liquids or other small items, cause such alarm in both pirates? She wondered if Red John had something planned using the item that neither Craig nor Navigator Carter highly approved of. "While I'm gone, I need you to teach her about our ship." She heard Navigator Carter inhale sharply. "If you hurt her, I will make sure that your last few minutes aboard this god-fearing ship will be spent in agonizing pain."

Lisbon felt her heart swell within her chest. Craig really did care for her, unlike the inbred scum aboard the Scarlet Oasis.

"You have absolutely nothing to fear, First Mate O'Laughlin." Navigator Carter replied after a few moments of silence, before Craig pressed his lips to her forehead and left the room. She smiled through her blurry vision, as Navigator Carter spoke again, "would you like to remain on the bed or…?" Lisbon bit her lip. Craig didn't approve of business being conducted in the bed, but she wanted to stay—she felt safe. "I'll pull you up a chair, okay?" She watched him move a stool from the corner of the room, while limping around with his cane, until he motioned for her to come and sit down on the stool.

She did so, almost painlessly. Craig had been able to coach her legs back into working again, with the use of his miracle plans and prayers, which made her beyond happy.

"My name is Timothy Carter and I've known Craig for about ten years now." Lisbon listened to the redheaded navigator, who spoke with relative ease, as he stood across from her. "I am, of course, an officer upon this beautiful ship. I am in charge of navigation, strategy, and I know the inner workings of this ship better than any of the other officers, aside from First Mate O'Laughlin and Captain Red John." Lisbon couldn't stop the smile upon her lips. Navigator Carter knowing both strategy and navigation made him the best choice for Captain Red John and made him a total nightmare for Jane. Captain Red John had crafted his crew exceptionally well and she felt immensely secured that nobody would remove her from the Red Rum, unless she wanted to leave. "I also have a personal history with two of the members on the Scarlet Oasis," Lisbon cocked her head slightly, confused by his words, "so rest assured, my fair lady, you aren't the only person who holds a strong dislike for Kristina Saffron and her bitch, Patrick Jane." Carter scowled and she nearly scoffed.

Of course, she wasn't the only person who hated either pirate. Craig hated Jane for stealing his fiancée, Grace. Captain Red John hated Jane for using women and cheating on his wife. She hated him for being a manipulative liar. However, nobody had any valid reasons for hating Saffron. Craig disliked her, as did Red John, but neither of them could understand the raw rage that coursed through every fiber of her being. "Introduce yourself to me." Carter perched on the edge of Craig's bed; his black cane next to him.

Lisbon responded without hesitation. "My name is Teresa Lisbon, sir." Carter nodded.

"I'm sure you're curious on why I have strong feelings of dislike for them, yes?" She nodded, as she wondered how much the man would share with her. "Years ago, I was engaged to be married to a beautiful woman. Kristina's parents liked me, I liked them, and I had thought that Kristina was in love with me." Carter let loose a bark-like laugh and Lisbon wondered what he found so funny. "Two weeks before we were set to be married on Jubilee Island, Kristina and I awoke to red sheets. I rushed her to the doctor, only to learn that my beloved had just had a miscarriage." She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Saffron had a lost a child? With that piece of information, Lisbon had no idea how to feel. Nobody deserved that, not even the harlot that was Kristina Saffron. "Don't pity her." Carter interrupted her thoughts with a harsh smile. "The child wasn't even mine."

The child wasn't his? Lisbon wanted to ask Carter about the child's father, but she knew the dangers in doing so. Craig had warned her about being overly curious about any of the other crew officers; even though, she had a nagging suspicion of who the father was. _Years ago_, Lisbon remembered from Craig's speech, _Saffron and Jane had gotten together on Jubilee Island. _

"I don't believe in intercourse until after marriage." Without even saying a name, Carter had proven her suspicion right and she clenched her fists together; it was just another way that those two had ruined the lives of everyone on the Red Rum. "I confronted her about it, we fought, and she stabbed me in the leg." Lisbon realized that the cane he used and the accompanying limp was mostly likely from Saffron's attempt to end his life, as the brunette couldn't own up to her own mistakes. "Don't get angry on my behalf. Patrick Jane and Kristina Saffron will get what they deserve."

They would, she vowed silently.

"This is why First Mate O'Laughlin and I want you to learn these rules." Carter explained, back on the original reason why they both remained across from each other. "If you learn these well enough, you will have already gotten a small amount of revenge on them." Lisbon nodded with a new found source of determination. She would make Craig proud by learning what she needed, while allowing Jane and Saffron to suffer for their actions. "With that being said. I will be teaching you the rules that we, the officers of the Red Rum, follow. You will remember these rules, for they shall save your life." She nodded again in understanding. "There are nine rules. Number one: failure to follow any of these rules will result in your immediate execution by the current captain."

"Captain Red John." Lisbon muttered.

"Yes." Carter gave, before he continued on. "Number two: you shall recite the ship motto when recited to you, verbatim." The Red Rum _had _a motto? She sat up straighter, as she was impressed by the organization of the ship. Years ago, she had suggested a motto for the Scarlet Oasis, but Jane had turned it down. Carter cleared his throat. "The motto is: _omni ope atque opera_. Got it?" Lisbon nodded. It was in a different language, but not something she could translate or recognize. "_Omni ope atque opera_."

"_Omni ope atque opera_." Lisbon recited and Carter beamed, which made her smile.

"Excellent job!" Carter exclaimed with the clap of his hands. "I can see what First Mate O'Laughlin sees in you." Lisbon felt a blush spread across her cheeks at his compliment. "Number three: you shall follow any order given to you by the officers of the Red Rum, without asking questions." Lisbon nodded; number three sounded simple enough anyway. "Number four: you shall not pull your sword or weapon on any other crew member, unless you are challenging them."

"Challenging?" Lisbon asked.

"If you want my spot on the ship, First Mate O'Laughlin's spot, or the Captain's spot; you will need to challenge us for it." She wondered how many people on the ship had actually challenged another person. "If we die, you become whoever you killed. If you die, however, your story doesn't just end after having a sword driven through your chest." Carter's smile told her everything she needed to know about the _next _part, but she doubted that she would ever challenge any of them. "Number five: off the ship, all men for themselves." Almost every pirate ship had that concept; it just saved them all from the possibilities of being kidnapped out of spite, by another crew. "Number six: you shall kill without hesitation."

Lisbon blinked in surprise; most of the killings she had ever done was mainly because of Jane and his stupidity. She had never killed on order before, but if the concept of her doing so made Craig happy, then she'd do it without question.

"Number seven: you shall always speak your mind without fear of consequence." That rule surprised her. How many Captains were willing to allow somebody to speak their minds, especially if the crew member didn't like the way anybody was running the ship? She thought back to Jane, who had believed in never allowing another person to speak their mind, and she shuddered. How had she even gotten suckered into working for him? Jane was a horrible person. "Number eight: you shall always know your place aboard the ship."

Craig and Carter's earlier display of respect made sense. Carter had acknowledged how important Craig was and Craig had acknowledged how important Carter was, by merely just dropping the titles into their conversation. She imagined the two referring to her as _Officer Lisbon_ and it made her smile, as having a title and a ship, would make her feel important once again.

"I'm surprised you have no questions on that one." Carter returned and she eyed him. "Most of our crew members are confused by the odd wording of that phrase."

"You all show respect here," Lisbon said, "navigator Carter." Carter nodded.

"You _are _intelligent." He complimented her again. "And the last one? Number nine: you shall always wear the given uniform without fuss." His eyes focused on her dress for a moment, before he smiled and nodded. "I see that First Mate O'Laughlin has already been giving you ship appropriate attire. He and the Captain enjoy dressing us all in black, as it promotes uniformity and it allows us to go unseen."

Uncomfortable or not in her attire, Lisbon refused to show how much she hated the dress. If the rule was the wear the given uniform, then she'd always wear the dresses given to her by the Captain, Craig or Carter.

"Do you have any questions?"

"Does Craig truly love me?" It had been the question burning within her mind for days, but it was the one question that she had never felt truly comfortable asking him about. She also wanted to prove to Carter that she understood the disciples of the ship and from Carter's upturned smile, she wondered if he hadn't expected her to grasp the concept of the rules that quickly.

"He does." Carter responded, softly. "He loves you and he will do everything in his power to protect you, whether it be from his own crew or from the Scarlet Oasis." Her heart swelled again at Carter's heart felt words and she glanced toward the bedroom door, suddenly anxious for Craig to return to her. Carter gave her an all-knowing look. "Do you love him?" Lisbon glanced at him in surprise.

"Of course, I do." Lisbon answered, softly. "Craig saved me. Craig has given me back my life, and I can never thank him enough." Carter smiled, before the door to the bedroom opened again to reveal Craig. Her heart hammered in her chest at his slightly disheveled appearance, most likely due to the late August heat.

"I would have been back sooner, Navigator Carter." Craig greeted with a smile. "However, the Captain felt the need to discuss the current happenings onboard the Scarlet Oasis." Lisbon glanced down at her lap; she didn't want to listen to them say anything about her past ship, because she honestly didn't care anymore.

"What about them?" Carter asked.

"Sources upon Governor's Island say that they've been partying at the Jagged Tavern." Craig replied, as he shook his head. "If any of my crew members were missing, I'd be out looking for them." Carter nodded.

"I wouldn't think too much into it, Craig." Carter responded in a whisper. "They gave up on her and it's their loss." Lisbon couldn't help but agree with his words. If the Scarlet Oasis _had _wanted to find her, they would have found her months ago. "Did the Captain get his vial?" Lisbon glanced up in intrigue.

"Crystal," was all Craig said and Carter made a small grimace. "The Captain has requested your presence in his quarters this evening for dinner. You had best not be late, Navigator Carter." Carter chuckled, as he stood from the bed and placed his cane back on the floor.

"Goodbye, First Mate O'Laughlin." Carter left them both alone. Lisbon glanced up at Craig, who beckoned her from the stool to join him on the bed. She did so with a small smile, as his hand took one of hers.

"Did you learn anything exciting today?" Craig asked and she nodded. "What was it?"

"I learned the rules of the Red Rum today, First…" He had his hand over her mouth with a laugh.

"Out of my room, refer to me as sir or First Mate O'Laughlin. In my room, refer to me as Craig." He corrected her with a smile. "You get no points for calling me First Mate O'Laughlin when we're alone, as my title is only for ship business." Lisbon nodded in understanding and he removed his hand from her mouth. "Did Carter teach you our motto?" Lisbon nodded again. "_Omni ope atque opera_."

Lisbon repeated the motto back to him with a smile. "_Omni ope atque opera_." Craig clapped his hands together and she smiled brightly; she loved when he was happy. "I also learned Navigator Carter's reason for hating Saffron and Jane." Lisbon stated and Craig lost his smile, which immediately saddened her.

"That was a rough period for him; I didn't actually think he'd survive the days after Kristina left him for Jane." Craig explained. Lisbon wondered if he was thinking about his own past with Grace, and she squeezed his hand in comfort. He squeezed back. "If he didn't have our crew softly after she had stabbed him, he would have died due to the infection in his leg." Lisbon said nothing, as parts of Carter's story still troubled her. "You look troubled, what is it?"

Lisbon bit her lip; she wanted to show him that she could follow the rules, even if the question made her ill and made her sad. "Did Saffron want her child?"

Craig glanced at her. "From what Carter has told me, Kristina didn't want her child." Lisbon's throat tightened and she felt Craig's arms move around her. "Hush," he whispered with his lips against her hair, "I know it isn't easy…"

"I can't have children." Lisbon interrupted, softly and Craig grew silent. "It isn't easy to imagine her not wanting her child, not without wanting to strangle her anyway."

"You can't have children?" Craig sounded surprised. "Have you always been like that or is it a recent injury?"

Lisbon tensed; she knew she had to answer him, but it didn't make her memories any easier. "It's a recent injury. A year or so ago, something happened and I found out my ability to bare children was no longer there." Her vision was blurry, yet Craig continued to hold her tight. "I had been aboard the Scarlet Oasis. Saffron had done something disrespectful to Jane and he went to drink it off." She felt Craig nod against her. "I cornered him about his behavior and he didn't like that." She shrugged, the memory of his fingers buried within her, made her want to run. "He tried to have his way with me, I refused, and he raptured something within me with his fingers." She felt Craig tense against her and she trembled. Was he angry with her? Was he going to kill her for allowing something like that to happen? "I bled for days," she continued on out of a nervous habit, "until Saffron encouraged a visit to the doctor. Nobody else knows."

Lisbon tried not to cry. Saffron's friendly behavior and concern had been on the behalf of her lover and not because she actually cared about anybody but herself. Craig remained silent, until he drew her closer in his embrace.

"You didn't deserve that, nobody does!" Craig sounded angry, which made her nervous. "If I get my hands on him, his throat will be overflowing with his worthless blood." Craig tensed again. Was he going to strike her for allowing him to hurt her? She braced herself for the hit with the closing of her eyes, but it never came.

Instead, she felt Craig pull from their embrace to push her backwards on the soft bed. When she opened her eyes, her blurry vision was met by Craig's handsome face. "Do you trust me?" He whispered into her ear and she wondered how she could not. Craig had done so much for her and she had yet to do anything for him.

"Yes." Lisbon whispered and before she could say or think anything else, he had his lips upon hers. Her heart fluttered at the intoxication that his body was causing pressed against hers, while her hands rested on the sides of his face.

"You're beautiful." Craig said, after he pulled away from her with a smile. "Why they didn't want you aboard the Scarlet Oasis, I'll never understand. You're perfect to me." She felt herself blushing and he chuckled, while he pressed his lips against her forehead. "I love you." Lisbon said nothing in response, as her fingers went for the buttons across his chest.

Actions, she remembered, spoke a lot louder than words.

And when it came to her burning love for Craig O'Laughlin, she felt it was in her best interest to show and not tell that she loved him too.


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I'm still establishing my rights as a writer, so I own nothing. ;)

Thanks to Anonymous, Frogster, and Loes-chan for the reviews!

I will not be posting on July 16th, as the last three chapters _need _to be kept together. If these last three chapters are seperated, plot issues will occur and this story cannot be finished. ;)

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><p>On her unmade cot, Kris tried to figure out what she would say to General Samuel Bosco when she and Jane went over there later. Jane had, originally, taken the news that she had a close friend on Governor's Island quite well. However, once the man had found out that her friend was high up in the military, Jane's smug smile had quickly faded away. She had deduced, given his less-than-smug reaction, that Jane might have had a bad experience with military men, other than Cho and Rigsby.<p>

Jane clearly doubted that Bosco knew anything about Red John or Lisbon, but given how Bosco and the Governor had worked closely together for many years seemed like the better plan. Kris thought it might have been more a pride issue on why Jane didn't want to rely on another man for help, but she wasn't entirely too sure.

She and General Bosco had, whether Jane believed it or not, a long history together; she had first met the General with James years ago, only to realize that the General didn't seem to be too thrilled about working for the Governor. James had constantly told her stories about how Bosco had gone against the Governor's orders on numerous occasions, but because of how good he had been at his job, the Governor could never fire him. After she had heard the stories, she had insisted on meeting the man that had gone against the power-hungry Governor.

When Kris had finally met General Bosco, she had been fascinated by what he had done over the length of his career; it had also been the first time that she had heard of the notorious pirate captain, Red John. Bosco hadn't given her too much detail about the man, except to say that he was dangerous and he needed to be apprehended. She had also met his wife, Mandy, who had immediately become a good friend. Bosco had apparently taken an immediate liking to her, as he had offered her the chance to learn how to swordfight. Given the situation she had been in at home with her father, she had taken the offer up in a heartbeat. Bosco had taught her the basics, but James had helped her become a more advanced fighter.

Kris drew in a sharp breath, shook her head, and reluctantly went to go and find Captain Idiot. She had a feeling that he would be up at the helm with Rigsby and Cho, which he was, as she stepped atop the deck and spotting him on the helm, standing by one of the railings. With a roll of the eyes, she secretly wished he would lose his balance and dive head first into the open water.

Although she was too far away to hear what Jane had said to Rigsby, she watched the pirate captain turn his head to grin at the pirate. Whatever Jane had said, she had a feeling, was probably something utterly ridiculous and had absolutely no value to any of them. Kris quickened her step and charged up the steps, before Jane turned his head to stare at her and Rigsby just nodded in greeting. Cho didn't turn to face her, as he continued on with whatever he was currently doing.

She heard Jane's voice first. "Well," he exclaimed, as he rocked on the balls of his feet, "look who has finally come out of their little cave this fine afternoon." She rolled her eyes again. Was it so wrong that she enjoyed privacy on a pirate ship, captained by Jane? Unlike when Lisbon had been first mate, she had no desire to stand by him twenty-four hours of the day. Jane was a grown man and she knew he could carry on without her standing there, breathing down his neck. She was also sure that the man heard enough voices in his head to keep him completely occupied and she didn't want him prying into her personal life, any more than he already had so far.

"It's not like I had much of a choice." She replied back, bitterly. She tilted her head to the side, her arms still across her chest, as she wondered where the man even came up with half of the things he had said. "As the first mate, I have to come out and check that you aren't driving the crew insane with your incomprehensible orders." Kris saw him eye Rigsby and she felt bad for him, because she knew Jane would drag the man into their conversation.

Jane turned his head again and spoke to Rigsby directly. "Rigsby," he questioned, "do you think my orders are incomprehensible?" The poor guy had a knack for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. She waited for Rigsby to respond to him, but all she could see was the expression of slight trepidation in his face. She could tell he wasn't too sure of how to answer the question Jane had asked him, but unfortunately Rigsby had to answer the captain.

Rigsby scratched his head, as if he were searching for the right words. "Captain, you just have an extremely unique way of going about things." She chuckled lowly. Rigsby's answer was probably the best that the man could have given, so he could avoid Jane's wrath.

She stared at them and cleared her throat to gain their attention. "Even though this conversation, I'm positive, has a point; there are some things that are of more importance right now." She raised her eyebrow and continued to stare at them, before she watched Rigsby walk away from them both to strike up a conversation with Cho.

Jane focused his attention on her. "What is it you need, my dearest first mate?" She sighed in frustration. Playing the nice act wasn't going to get him very far, considering she was still annoyed for his behavior days ago and if he pulled the same crap with Bosco, he wouldn't even receive a warm welcome. She didn't want to answer him, but she knew she had too.

"Are you ready to go and talk to the General, Jane?"

His smile quickly faded into a grimace, while he sighed in annoyance. She _really _hoped that he wouldn't take the little time that they both had to whine about who they were going to go and see, because they needed to find Lisbon.

However, he squashed her hopes with his question.

"Must we?" He whined at her. "I'm sure we can find…" She tuned him out. To her, he sounded like a six-year-old child and if he was going to act like a child, she was going to treat him like one.

"Yes, we do." Kris replied, sternly and without any forethought, she continued on. "I am warning you, Jane. Be nice." From the corner of her eye, a smile spread across Jane's face and she shook her head in response. She wasn't exactly in the mood to play his games, but he probably felt that he deserved revenge for her annoying behavior days ago.

"Meh," he waved her off with his hand, "I'm not afraid of him. What could he possibly do to me? Breathe on me?" She scoffed at his question. In her head, she had a million and one things that General Bosco could do to Jane, if he felt like it. She was also sure that Governor Bertram wouldn't mind if Bosco decided to kill Jane on sight, as it would a win/win for them all (except for Lisbon) in the end.

"He could kill you." Kris replied, bluntly, while she stared into his eyes. With that, she turned on the heels of her boots and started her way off the ship and toward General Bosco's home, and heard the heavy sound of Jane's footsteps close behind her. After an hour of horrendous whining and complaining from Jane, they both finally reached Bosco's residence on Governor's Island.

The outside of the house still looked the same; tan siding with brown shutters and a heavy wooden door, which had a plain, bronze doorknocker nailed into it. The house had probably seen a lot of history, as all of the homes on Governor's Island were about thirty to fifty-years-old and most had seen better days. Bosco's house had been once been white, but the siding had turned into a light tan from the age and the weathering on the island.

Despite all that, she had always admired his home because it had always just been a house.

On Governor's Island, she had always been quite envious of the local middle class because, to her, they led fairly simple lives. They didn't have to deal with the standards of high society and they could live their lives somewhat freely, which was something she had always desired. To be out of the clutches of a higher power, to just live her life as she pleased without someone telling her how to, was another something she had always hoped for in life. Unfortunately, because she was a woman, the idea of _freedom _was a foreign concept; even as a pirate, she still had to answer to Jane, and respect was almost impossible to achieve on the Scarlet Oasis.

Jane nudged her with his hand and she glared in his direction. "Do you want to knock? Or…" Kris leapt forward to knock at the door, as she knew that Jane would annoy the married couple with his loud knocking upon their door. She brought her arms back against her chest, before she started to tap her foot against the porch. Patience had never been her strong suit, and even though she liked General Bosco, she still wasn't extremely amused.

In her line of vision, she saw the metal doorknob turn and the door pulled inwards to reveal a slender, medium-stature, brunette woman, who greeted them with a faint smile. Mandy's smile then turned into a larger smile, as the brunette threw her arms around Kris's neck. Kris patted her back gingerly and laughed softly.

"It's good to see you, dear." Kris pulled back from the hug and stared at her; the brunette looked exactly the same, except for her face, which had aged about three or four years since their last run-in. She saw Mandy glance over her shoulder and Kris sheepishly grinned, she had almost forgotten that Jane was there, which had been completely fine with her. Kris turned her body to face Jane.

"Mandy, this is Patrick Jane." Jane gave Mandy a bright smile and waved. Kris rolled her eyes at his behavior.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Jane. I'm Mandy." Kris smiled at Mandy. The woman had always been such a sweetheart to everyone she had ever come across, no matter whom they were or what they did for a living. Mandy's kindness was a trait that Kris often wished she had herself, but she knew that being kind didn't always get you where you needed to be. For Mandy, however, being kind worked. Kris turned her body back to Mandy, who motioned them into her warmly decorated home.

Kris glanced around the small foyer for a brief moment. Unlike the Bertram manor, there were no portraits on the wall. The light grey room with a deep maroon rug held several circular mirrors and wooden tables, which held sunflowers. Mandy always had good taste and Kris remembered when they had been talking about redecorating certain areas of the house, especially the kitchen; she had helped Mandy out with the colors. Her eyes then went back to Mandy.

"Is Sam here, Mandy?" Kris asked, a little rushed. She didn't want to come off rude, but they would have to catch up another time, especially since they weren't there for a social call.

"Yes!" Mandy responded brightly, with a large grin. Kris gave a small smile and laughed slightly, as Mandy continued to speak. "He will be so excited to see you, dear. I will go and tell him that you are here."

Kris nodded in her direction. "Thank you." She heard Jane stifle his laughter and she gave a grimace. What had he found so funny? She suspected it had been because she had been polite to someone, but what he didn't realize was that she respected the Bosco family. Kris noticed Mandy was halfway up the wooden staircase, when the brunette turned her head around to smile at them both.

"Dear, you know where the kitchen is. Please, go and sit down." Mandy continued up the staircase and Kris turned to face Jane.

He just stared at her with his obnoxious grin and she sighed heavily in frustration. "What?" She asked, harshly.

Jane shook his head at her, while he continued to grin. "Nothing," he replied, "I have just never seen you be nice to anyone before. It's a new experience for me." Her hand itched to slap the grin right off his face, but given that Bosco would be down any minute, that would probably not be such a good idea. Bosco, while a good man, was overprotective of her and would immediately suspect the worst, if he saw her slap Jane across the face.

She, once again, gave Jane a firm stare. "Jane," she warned, "I meant it on the ship and I mean it now, be nice to him. He's a good friend of mine, who deserves your upmost respect." She waited for him to reply to her with a snide comment, but it never came, as she heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind her. Kris turned around and smiled at Bosco; it was nice to see a friendly face.

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into now and what does," Bosco pointed his index finger towards Jane, "_he _have to do with it?" She chuckled at him; he knew her too well, but it was not what he thought it was this time.

"No trouble, Sam. Not this time, I swear." Kris said through her laugh, while she stepped closer to him. Bosco's face screamed that he didn't trust or like Jane, as his slightly squinted eyes hadn't left the pirate captain's face. She felt Bosco put his hands on her shoulders and he looked her straight in the eyes.

"Please Kristina," he started with a tone of disapproval in his voice, "don't tell me that _he _is your new boyfriend." Kris grimaced at his use of her full first name, before she rolled her eyes. Why was it every time that she went somewhere with Jane everyone assumed that they were together? Just because the man wouldn't stop annoying her to no end did not in any way imply that they were a couple. Did one of them give off a vibe or something? It was very strange to her and she wished that people would stop bringing it up.

Kris stepped back and Bosco released her shoulders. "No, Sam." Kris reassured him. "I can assure you, Jane is not my boyfriend." She felt Jane's eyes on her. "The only active relationship going on right now is, between me and my sword." Bosco's face relaxed, before he led them both toward the sunlit kitchen. Bosco pulled out a chair for her at the table, while Jane took a seat next to her and Bosco, as usual, sat at the head of the rectangular table; his hands folded in front of him, as if he were about to talk business.

She let out a breath. Small talk, she knew, would not help them save Lisbon. "I need your help. You're the only one I know who might have the information we need." She watched as concern spread across Bosco's face; she hated making him worry about her, but this was important and they were running low on time.

His brown eyes widened at her words. "Are you all right?" Kris gave him a reassuring smile, which she hoped hadn't come off as a grimace. She appreciated his concern, she really did, but this time nothing was about her; it was all about Lisbon and she had to be main priority right now.

"We're looking for Red John." Bosco blanched, before he narrowed his eyes and put his hand to his head, as if he had a headache. Red John was the one topic that nobody found easy to discuss, and she knew neither Jane nor Bosco enjoyed speaking of the pirate captain. Kris sat up in her seat and leaned forward to stare at him. "Sam." He glanced up at her, as she continued to meet his eyes.

"Why?" Bosco demanded. Kris pulled back slightly. How would she even begin to explain why to him? The entire crew had gone through so much to get to that point and each of the crew members: Jane, Rigsby, Cho, Mashburn and herself, all had a motive to catch and kill Red John. If she and Jane had to take the time to explain to Bosco why they were after Red John, their chances of finding pirate captain would be diminished.

Kris let out a sigh and tried to remain calm, which she knew would be the best way to handle Bosco. Getting frustrated and angry with anyone in the room would only cause more problems, as both men felt strongly on the topic, even though she had never known Bosco's reason for hating Red John. "It's a long story, Sam, but I assure you it might be the only chance anyone has to finally get rid of him." She let out another breath, before she pushed her hair behind her ear and continued on. "Help me and I will help you by making sure that Red John finally gets what he deserves." Bosco just stared at her and she stared back, unblinkingly. Kris watched his face relax slightly, which made her feel a little more relaxed.

"If you both come back later tonight, I will have the information you are looking for." Kris eyed him, confusion written across her face. Why couldn't he just give the information to them now? What would be the difference of a few hours? The confusion didn't fade from her expression, as Bosco continued on. "Kristina, I have information that might interest you, personally. I also have information that concerns you both." The confusion was replaced with curiosity. What could he possibly have to tell her? She had a slight clue as to what he would tell them both together, but what had happened that was so personal to her? "So, if you both come back tonight for dinner and dress formally," Kris grimaced at _that _thought. She guessed she would have to raid Lisbon's closet, as she had absolutely nothing to wear, "then I will have the information you need, and I will be able to give you both the information to catch Red John." She could have argued about the formal wear, but this was for Lisbon and if it would help them save her, she would do it. She owed the woman that much and more.

Kris glanced at Jane, who nodded in agreement and before either could say anything else, Bosco led them both outside his home. Once the door shut behind them, they started back toward the ship. She heard Jane's voice from behind her, "well, it seems that somebody is finally going to have to show me how she looks in a dress."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Shut up and go to hell, Jane."

* * *

><p>Jane stood atop the helm with Rigsby and Cho, a few hours later after he and Kris had returned from Bosco's home. He had his arms crossed against his chest, as he waited on Kris and if he had to be completely honest, he grew slightly impatient with the temporary first mate. It had taken them both about an hour to return to the ship, and once they had both gotten back, she had nagged him to get ready for Bosco's dinner.<p>

Of course, he had listened to her and had gotten ready in less than an hour. Fortunately, Jane had never own any kind of suit. He had never had the money to buy one, as his job working with the circus had never paid well. Instead, he had managed to find a clean, white-collared shirt and a pair of black slacks that he had worn when he was with the circus. He hadn't owned an overcoat with tails, but just so Kris wouldn't harass him later on, he tucked in his white shirt and wore a belt with a holster for his gleaming sword.

Rigsby kept eyeing him, a small smile on his face with a chuckle under his breath. Rigsby's nonchalant behavior irked Jane a bit, because there was nothing even remotely funny about this.

Finally, he put an end to Rigsby's chuckling. "Why is Kris taking so long?" He asked with a groan in his voice, and even though he hadn't said anything directly to Rigsby or Cho, Rigsby answered him.

"Jane, don't you know anything about women?" Jane's eyes widened at the question and he was slightly insulted, because both of his first mates had been women. One of them had been his best friend, who hadn't taken more than thirty minutes to get ready and the other, well…he didn't exactly know what they were, even though he had told her days ago that he cared about her. He had also been married once, had his crew suddenly forgotten about his knowledge of women? Jane doubted this though, as he just assumed that Rigsby was joking around. However, when it had taken Angela hours to get ready, he had been the same way: impatient.

His sullen and impatient attitude was not new to either of them, given the fact that he would have liked to think that he knew something about women. In response, Jane narrowed his eyes on Rigsby.

"Jane," Rigsby continued to speak, "when you tell a woman to _look nice_; it is going to take some time." Jane rolled his eyes; it hadn't been like he and Kris had been invited to a formal dinner at the Governor manor, it was just a dinner at a middle class home. He suspected that the reason she was putting in all of this time below deck was most likely, because she had been cursing out Bosco for needing to dress up.

He chuckled to himself. Jane had seen the horrified look on her face when Bosco had mentioned for her to dress formally; Kris looked as if she had been thrown down a flight of stairs and he knew the idea of having to wear a dress horrified Kris on several different levels. If her reaction to the portrait of her in a dress at the Governor's manor was not an indication of how she felt, he didn't know what was.

Jane glanced around the helm, anxiously, before he saw Rigsby's eyes widen slightly and he heard the sound of Mashburn whistling. He ignored Mashburn's silliness and focused his entire attention on Rigsby. "Rigsby, what are you looking at?" All Rigsby seemed to be able to do was point, which made Jane groan. Rigsby couldn't just _give _him an answer, could he? With reluctance, he turned around and his mouth parted slightly at the sight before him.

It was Kris. In a red dress.

He heard Mashburn, who apparently joined them on the helm, speak. "You look absolutely ravishing, my dear. I think I've got some wine hidden away for an occasion like this." Jane's hand immediately went for his sword. Kris wasn't an object, she was a _woman_. Mashburn had absolutely no right saying things like that to her, which was why he felt the need to run the sharp blade through the man's chest. He watched the first mate push Mashburn out of her way and approach them, with her hands on her narrow hips.

Quietly, he undressed her with his eyes.

Kris's brunette hair was down, resting well past her shoulders. The red dress she wore was low-cut and Kris, physically, had no trouble filling out the top portion of the outfit. With one sly glance at her chest, he could tell that she wasn't wearing any kind of a bra underneath—the dress exposed the top of her breasts, in a similar style that reminded him of her state within that alleyway. The material hugged at her waist and it showed off the curves of her body, but it wasn't too form fitting—it hugged her just enough to make it difficult for him to stay pure toward her in his thoughts. The red dress flowed freely past the waist and came to rest just above the knee, where he could see the start of Kris's long, tapered legs. His mouth watered and his pants suddenly felt tight. Did she not realize that wearing something like _that _was illegal on the ship?

He tried to distract his impure thoughts with a glance down at her bare feet, as he seriously hoped that she wasn't going to go to Bosco's house barefoot. Kris shifted slightly and he caught sight of the black heels in her hand, before he heard her groan.

"I hate him!" Jane heard Kris yell, as she proceeded to throw her muscular arms outward. He tried to smile at her, as he resisted the urge to take her back to his quarters and undress her with his hands there. His thought process, thankfully, was interrupted when he heard Kris's voice again. "Why couldn't the man just have taken us out for a beer?" He knew that she found this whole adventure to be a torture, but he wondered if she had any notion of how _gorgeous _she looked in that dress.

_Probably not_, he thought with a small smile.

"Where did you even find that thing?" Rigsby interrupted Kris's rant. Jane could have kissed Rigsby for asking the question that he had been dying to know for the past few minutes, because he wasn't entirely too sure she hadn't killed anybody for that dress.

"Lisbon." Kris replied, rather bluntly. He glanced at Rigsby, who seemed to be surprised also. That dress had belonged to Teresa Lisbon? He couldn't believe it. Had the two women foiled a plot to kill him with their hidden beauty? If they had, he mused quietly, it was working.

Jane closed his eyes. He imagined Lisbon within the same dress, with a few minor alterations, as the previous first mate would have never been able to keep the dress up on her body; however, it all ended the same in his mind. Lisbon, out of the dress, before him on his bed in his room. He had never seen Lisbon in a dress before though, but he had a feeling that the sight would have provoked his body into misbehaving. He tried to glance away from Kris, but he found himself thinking about how perfectly the dress had fit her.

_If she looked like this every day_, Jane thought with a grin, _I'd learn patience. _

Rigsby stepped toward Kris and Jane's hand, once again, went for his sword. If the pirate even tried anything with her, he'd kill him without forethought. Kris turned to face Rigsby and his mouth fell open again; his hand still at his sword.

The little red dress was _backless_.

The woman was unintentionally trying to kill him with her body, wasn't she? He, bitterly, resisted the urge again to grab her from behind and ravish her atop the helm. If Rigsby, Cho and Mashburn hadn't been there, he knew he would have done just that.

Rigsby's voice interrupted his thoughts again, which only served to annoy him. "Lisbon owns a dress?" Jane relaxed slightly. If he had to kill Rigsby for making an inappropriate comment about either Kris or Lisbon, he doubted that either woman would not find his reasoning to be just. He moved to stand beside Rigsby, because he still didn't trust the fellow pirate not to say anything.

"Of course, she does. She's a woman." Kris responded in a huff, as she crossed her arms against her chest. The action amplified her breasts more, much to his chagrin. "What do you think I've been doing all of this time? Stealing from the market?" She, once again, extended both of her arms outwards. He chuckled softly. Jane doubted she had been stealing from any market, but whatever she had been doing; it had been well worth it. "I've been raiding Lisbon's wardrobe." Jane doubted that Kris had any type of a nice outfit on hand, especially considering her background with the rich society.

"And you aren't wearing shoes, because…?" Jane finally gained the courage to speak out. He trailed off and expected her to finish his sentence, while she turned to face him and stepped closer. If Kris had known what he had just been thinking mere moments ago, she probably wouldn't have taken that risk.

"Have you ever worn heels, Jane?" Kris spat and he shook his head, which encouraged her to continue on with her rant. "Well, if you had, you would know that they are an absolute bitch to wear." Jane stared on, slightly confused. Kris had worn heeled boots _all _of the time on a normal day, but she couldn't handle a smaller set of heels? He couldn't understand that at all, but he wondered if he had to be a woman to understand the reasoning behind that one.

"Isn't there a saying for this?" He questioned with a slight tilt of his head, amusement coloring his voice. He paused, although he didn't expect an answer from her. "Beauty is pain?" She narrowed her eyes.

Kris pointed to her own self. "Isn't the pain and humiliation of having to wear a dress enough?" She asked. "Obviously not, as I have to wear heels too. This is just ridiculous." He watched her shake her head and look at the black heels still in her hand, before a grimace crept across her face. Her mouth moved—inaudibly—and he felt her hand grip onto his shoulder. "Don't get any bright ideas, Jane." Kris warned him, as he continued to grin and she put on her first shoe. She let go of his shoulder, much to his dismay, while she managed to get on the other shoe without having to lean on him. She stood straight up and he quickly realized that the heels had given her a few more inches and she was just about his full-standing height; he saw her wince in pain, most likely from the bending over. "Let's go and get this evening over with, okay?" He chuckled at her grumpiness and followed her off of the ship, the rest of the crew probably hoping for a quiet night ahead without the both of them aboard.

The walk to Bosco's home had taken around an hour longer than the first time, due to Kris's reluctance of wanting to show up anywhere with a dress on, but eventually, they both stood on the doorstep of Bosco's home. When Jane had first entered the home hours ago, he hadn't gotten the impression that Bosco was an extremely wealthy man. Bosco, Jane had figured out from the fixtures within the modest-sized home, was middle-class, which didn't bother Jane at all.

However, he had noticed Bosco's dislike for him, immediately.

If he hadn't been the captain of the Scarlet Oasis, he would have just stayed back on the ship and he would have let Kris handle Bosco on her own. But, it was about Red John and as the Captain; he needed to make sure that they got the correct information.

Kris knocked at the door and Mandy, in the same purple sundress from earlier, answered the door with a smile. Kris and Mandy hugged each other again, not that he paid too much attention to their pleasantries.

"Oh, Kris! You have yet to see Lily!" With that, he saw Mandy run down the corridor and he tilted his head to the side. Who was Lily and what did he or she have to do with Kris? Jane watched Kris smile, which made him relax somewhat. It wasn't very often that he saw the first mate take a breather. He tapped her on the shoulder, curiosity in his motives, and she turned her head to face him.

"Who is this Lily person?" He questioned in a whisper, with his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Lily would be Bosco's daughter." Kris said in admiration. Jane could tell by the way she answered him that the first mate had known Lily before she had become a part of the Scarlet Oasis, which made him wonder exactly how long she and Bosco had known each other for. Before he could ask her though, he heard the sound of running footsteps and a small giggle.

Jane watched as the reason for the noise—a little girl—attached herself to Kris's left leg. Lily had shoulder length brunette hair, her soft curls bouncing against her face, which had similar features to Mandy: a small nose, chocolate brown eyes, and a wide, toothless smile. Lily wore a short-sleeved, yellow sundress that hit right below the knee, much like the one he remembered his own daughter wearing. He guessed the child had to be around seven-years-old, especially if she remembered Kris so vividly. If Lily had been in her younger years, Kris would not have gotten such a greeting.

He continued to watch as Kris bent down, which killed him, to greet the small child. Jane heard her, in a soft and loving tone, speak to Lily. "Hello, sweetheart." Even though Kris couldn't see it, he gave her a gentle smile. Jane had never heard the first mate be so kind with anyone before and it was a nice change, given that she often tended to be hot tempered with everyone around her.

The little girl looked up at Kris with wide eyes and a bright smile and said, "Hi Krissy!" Jane chuckled at the little girl. No one could get Kris's name right, it seemed. No one she knew seemed to call her "Kris" except for him and the crew (aside from Mashburn, who continued to call her Kristina). And now, Lily had given him a new one to use—"Krissy"—which, he knew he'd use to torment her with later on. Jane heard the child's voice again. "Krissy, who is that?" Kris turned her head around, as Lily shyly pointed at him with a fearful expression. He wondered why Lily had been scared, but he thought it might have something to do with the fact that he was a new face, while Kris was the little girl's buddy.

"Lily," Kris stated softly, "this is my friend, Patrick Jane." He gave the child a warm smile, before he waved at her. Lily still looked a little fearful, while Kris stood back up to stare at him with a nod. He took the hint and bent down to the child's level, his hand reached out towards her. Lily backed into Kris, but Kris lightly pushed her forward and whispered, "Go on. It's okay." Lily, he noticed, stepped cautiously towards him, before she reached out her hand to shake his.

When she pulled her hand back from his, he had an idea of how to make the child less frightened. Jane reached into his back pocket, where he kept all of the extra change from when he would borrow money from Mashburn to finger one of the coins.

"Lily," he inquired, "do you like magic tricks?" Lily nodded her head, her brunette curls bouncing along with the movement. Using what he had learned from his days in the circus, he made the coin disappear before the child's eyes.

The little girl's face lit up. "Where did it go, Patty?" She asked, excitedly. Kris snickered, which he ignored. Jane reached to the girl's ear and pulled it out from behind, before the little girl giggled and he grinned widely at her. Jane watched Lily run back over to Kris, who glanced in his direction again. "Did you see that, Krissy?" Lily asked, still with a hint of excitement in her voice. Kris chuckled, softly and nodded at her. Jane stood back up and watched as Mandy took Lily by the hand, their mouths moving, before they both left the foyer.

Jane tapped his foot against the floor, as Kris spoke out. "I've really missed her. She's such a good little girl." Before he could say anything to her, Bosco entered the room. The General stared at them both, without breaking eye contact, for a good twenty or so seconds.

"Oh, good. You're both here." Bosco stated in monotone, before a smile grew across his face and he glanced at Kris. "Kristina, you look absolutely stunning." From the corner of his eye, he saw Kris's face turn blood red, her eyes burning a hole in the ground. Bosco led them into the dining room, far enough away from the kitchen area, where a bronze chandelier hung over head and a long, mahogany table stretched across the room.

"Mandy is going to be with Lily for the evening." Bosco announced to the table. Jane approved of his announcement. He didn't want Lily to be present for it, especially when they finally brought up the subject of Red John. It was the one topic that a child should never have to hear, especially as a small child didn't deserve to hear about all the evil in the world.

Dinner was a quiet affair, and after they had finished in silence, Jane had decided it was time to discuss the elephant in the room. Getting a home-cooked meal had been nice, but Lisbon needed him and at this point, they couldn't waste any more time on the waiting games.

"What is the information you have on Red John?" Jane stated, bluntly. He knew being impatient would get him nowhere, but he was just tired of waiting. He was tired of catering to the whims of others. He wanted the information. He needed the information. And if Bosco wasn't going to cooperate with the question, then they had all pretty much killed Lisbon. Kris glared at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders at her; she had to understand that they couldn't wait around anymore. He was sure that she was cussing him out under her breath, with the way her lips remained tightly pursed, but what could they do? The first mate knew, as well as he did, that Lisbon's life was more important than his manners.

Jane heard Bosco clear his throat, before he stood from the table. Kris continued to glare in his direction, while she looked ready to kill him for his rudeness. He ignored Kris's out of line glare, as Bosco returned to his seat with an envelope in his hand.

"Mr. Jane, I told you both before you left that I had two things to share with you." Bosco cleared his throat and continued on. "There's something I need to tell you both, while the other thing I have to share is with Kristina." Jane eyed him in mute surprise. Nobody had ever put him in his place like that before. Sure, Lisbon had tried many times in the past, but he had never seen someone stick to their word. What shocked him even more though had been the fact that Bosco had never raised his voice; the General had only reiterated the same information, which made it perfectly clear to Jane that he was not going to get his information that quickly. Dejection in his shoulders, he hunched back into his seat and allowed Bosco to continue on with the original plan for the evening.

He watched Bosco turn his head to eye Kris, who waited for him to speak in anticipation. He could tell she was nervous, but he could also tell that she was highly curious as to what Bosco had to say. He slowly handed her the envelope. Her eyes, he noticed, went from the envelope to Bosco and back again. "What's this?" He heard her ask.

"I got this a while back ago. It's from James." Jane stiffened, before he took in a deep breath. Not _that _topic again. What had been so great about the guy? How had Bosco known him? He guessed that James had gone into military when he had selfishly left Kris and Bosco had been the superior officer in charge of his unit. It still angered Jane that James had even left the brunette and the fact that Bosco had brought the man back up, just angered him even more. He didn't need, on top of everything else they were dealing with, for Kris to cry. It would only break his heart to see that, but he waited for Kris to respond to James's letter.

Kris hesitated for a brief moment, before she shoved the letter back across the table to Bosco. Her action made Jane hopeful, because it might have meant that she was over James and that she finally wanted to move on with someone better. "What did he want, Sam?" He heard Bosco sigh loudly. Even though Bosco hadn't said anything out loud, he empathized with the General's frustration. Kris had never been willing to open up to anyone about her past, even if they had been a major part of it for so long.

"Why don't you just read it?" Bosco demanded. Jane's hand went for his sword again; there was absolutely no reason to be harsh to her. Bosco side eyed him. "You draw your sword on me, you get nothing." Kris glared at him and he threw up his arms. How was he supposed to protect anyone on his crew, if nobody wanted to be protected? Bosco probably knew how painful the situation about James had been for Kris, but instead, the callous bastard had decided to approach the topic with a less-than-graceful approach. He opened his mouth to say something, but Kris beat him to the punch.

"Why waste my time reading it, Sam? You could just tell me, it'll save time." Bosco sighed again. On the other hand, Jane realized, he was also hoping that somebody would just _say _what Kris's ex wanted. He was a curious man, which he had often been told was a dangerous past time.

"He wrote about how he's been missing you and how he wants to be with you again. He's sorry, again." Jane waited for Kris's reaction to James's letter, but there was none. He frowned. When had the woman gotten so good at hiding her feelings on the subject from everyone within the room? He didn't want to pry, but he was concerned—a quiet Kris never meant anything good. "He also wrote about what will happen when he gets back. He's going to be looking for you, married or not." Jane's heart stopped. He had always thought James had left Kris. Why would he want her back? Hadn't the man broken up with her? If James had been the one to end things with Kris, in his opinion, he had lost the best thing he ever had and he hoped Kris would never take him back. Also, if James had truly loved Kris, he would have stayed with her. He would have protected her, until his death. Instead, he left her to fend for herself and because of that, Kris had suffered much.

Jane grimaced. He hated James. He hated Kris's parents. He hated the Governor. He hated Red John. He hated Craig O'Laughlin, and he blamed anybody else, who had ever hurt Kris before.

"Well," Kris interrupted his thoughts, "at least he's got a hobby going for him." Kris spat back in irritation. Jane had heard her use that same phrase back on Jubilee Island, when Kris and her friend had been discussing James, but a lot had changed since then. Bosco grabbed Kris's hand in his own and Jane wanted to rip him a new one, for even trying to distress her more.

"Kris," Bosco began, "he loves you." _He loves her? _Jane thought bitterly. If he had loved her, in his opinion, the boy shouldn't have left her. He should have stayed with her, especially if he loved her, but he hadn't.

Kris glanced up at Bosco. "I know he does, Sam. It's time for the both of us to move on." Jane silently agreed with her, as she continued to speak. "I am a completely different person now and I'm in an entirely new situation. It's time to let go." He watched as Bosco shook his head in disagreement, which made Jane glare at the General. It was her decision, not his! He hoped Bosco knew Kris well enough; otherwise they'd all have a huge argument on their hands. The first mate had always been stubborn and she had never been one to change her mind too easily.

Jane heard the sound of heels hitting against the wooden floor, before he turned his head to see who it was. It was Mandy, who smiled at her husband, before she asked, "Kris, would you mind helping me out for a few minutes?" Kris nodded, as she left the room with Mandy; the envelope still on the table.

It then hit him.

Besides himself, Bosco was the only other living person in the room. He cursed the sneaky bastard out in his head, because the man had planned for Mandy to come and get Kris, so they could talk. It _was _a smart move, but he didn't want to congratulate Bosco for being an asshole. While Kris had been his meal ticket to gaining information on Red John, he had a feeling that Bosco hadn't wanted Kris to know everything about Red John.

Bosco stared him down and spoke, "Mr. Jane, I want to make this perfectly clear. I don't like you and you probably don't like me, which is fine." Obviously not. They both had completely different opinions when it came to Kris and that irked him.

"Really, General?" He responded, sarcastically. "I had just thought that we were going to be the best of buddies." Bosco only glared at him, which meant he hadn't found the comment amusing. Jane fell silent.

"However," Bosco continued on, a sigh in his voice, "as much as I strongly dislike you, we do, believe it or not, have something in common; Red John." Jane almost rolled his eyes. If they hadn't had Red John in common, he and Kris would have not been in his cheery home. Despite all of that, he continued to listen to Bosco, who now had his hands folded across the table. "Mr. Jane," he stated, his voice held a tone of nervousness to it, "I know what happened to your family and let me express my deepest sympathies to you." Jane merely nodded; he had never been able to take the sympathies of others kindly or seriously, but he had found that if he just nodded politely, the person would move on. "Red John has not, however, only killed your family. You know this, yes?" Jane, once again, almost rolled his eyes. Red John had killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of people—women, children, and men—and the pirate captain had kidnapped his best friend.

What Bosco was discussing wasn't foreign to him, at all.

"Red John brutally killed my best friend, Lieutenant Hicks." Jane's ears perked up. Out of everything he had expected Bosco to say; those words weren't at the top of the list. "I have been on the hunt for Red John for a number of years and I have come close to finding him, many times." Bosco paused to take a deep breath. "My team and I have yet to figure out a strategy to apprehend him, which is why when Kristina said you and your crew were after Red John…" Bosco trailed off and Jane nodded. He might have been completely wrong about Bosco, but it still didn't mean the man wasn't an asshole. "Kristina seems to trust you, god only knows why." Bosco glanced up toward the ceiling, much to the amusement of Jane. "She has the confidence that you and your crew can apprehend and _kill _Red John, as you had better not let that bastard live." Jane nodded, through his confusion. Kris trusted him? It didn't even seem like it. "That is the only reason, why I am letting you have this information." He nodded again, trying to get past Bosco's bombshell. Kris had only ever yelled at him. They had done the unthinkable over a fight about Red John and because of Lisbon. Everything had happened, because they didn't trust each other, and if he had to be completely honest with himself, he still didn't know if he trusted her completely. Jane knew, however, that he would have to trust her eventually—especially if Bosco's information led them both to the Red Rum and to Lisbon.

Jane watched Bosco pull out a piece of folded up paper, before he held it up in his hand. Bosco grimly spoke again. "On this piece of paper, you'll find the coordinates to where the Red Rum is and where they are currently going. If your navigator can lead you there, you should then be able to catch Red John." Jane moved for the piece of paper, but Bosco pulled it back and held up his index finger. "I will give you this, on three conditions." Jane silently sulked. He hated being given ultimatums or conditions, because they detracted from the main journey at hand. "One, bring me Red John's sword. I only ask for his sword, because it is proof that you have killed the man."

Jane nodded in agreement; he thought that was pretty fair, although he had never even thought to take a souvenir from the Red Rum, let alone the pirate captain. "Secondly," Bosco continued, "do not, I repeat, _do not_, let Kristina kill Red John." Jane nodded in agreement again. Red John was his; everybody on the Scarlet Oasis knew that. Kris, although she hadn't been around long enough, even knew that Red John was _his _kill. He had told Lisbon that years ago, and his philosophy hadn't changed since then.

_"Red John doesn't belong to anyone, Jane." _He had remembered her saying, years ago. However, he hadn't listened to her then, and the fact that Lisbon had been kidnapped by O'Laughlin, made the pirate captain more his than ever before.

"Lastly," Jane glanced back at Bosco, who continued to speak, "don't hurt Kris. If you do and I hear about it, because I will, I will kill you." Jane had absolutely no doubts about that and since Kris warned him about Bosco, he was even surer of it now. He grimly smiled; he would never intentionally hurt Kris and if he did, he deserved to be locked up for the rest of his life.

"I won't, I promise." Jane responded and Bosco seemed to take him at his word, before the man handed Jane the piece of paper. Jane tucked it away into his pants pocket, with the intention of giving it to Cho in the morning. Before he had the chance to move from the table, Bosco cleared his throat and continued on. "Now, I have something to share with you both. Go and find Kristina, she needs to be here for this." He nodded.

He ended up finding Kris in the kitchen, helping Mandy out with the dirty dishes. By the way they both stood, it looked as if they had been catching up on the old times; he was also positive that Kris had been asking about Lily, for the first mate had a huge smile across her face. He ended up tapping the brunette on her shoulder and telling her that Bosco had wanted to speak with them both in his office.

Not too long after, they both stood in Bosco's office, waiting for the man again. The large room was dimly lit and had a series of bookshelves across the walls, which Jane suspected held mainly books about war. The titles suggested that Bosco read a lot of biographies about famous militia leaders of the past, which made Jane begrudgingly, admit that the man was well educated.

It highly annoyed him though, that they always seemed to be waiting on the man, when Bosco entered the room and stood behind his desk. He watched Kris greet Bosco with a smile, to which Bosco nodded in acknowledgment.

"While I have you both here, there is something I feel that you both should know about the Red Rum." Jane wished he could have rolled his eyes without being glared at or threatened. What did Bosco have to say about the Red Rum that he hadn't already known? He had studied the crew and their Captain for over eight years, which meant he knew more about the Red Rum than most people did. He realized, however, that while he had studied the Red Rum, Bosco must have done the same. Jane also realized that Bosco had more resources than they did, which meant the man could have more concrete information on Red John and his crew of miscreants. "There is a new member aboard the Red Rum. They interact with the crew and they also seem to be an active member of the ship." _This is what he had to tell us?_ Jane thought, thoroughly annoyed. Of course, there was a new member aboard the Red Rum. Red John killed off his crew members continuously and probably had to seek new recruits, so they could keep the ship running.

The idea of Red John angry and killing members of his crew though, made him worry even more for Lisbon's safety. Red John, he suspected, if angry enough would have killed Lisbon without any forethought and out of spite. Jane paused. What if Lisbon wouldn't be the only target of his anger? Had Red John planned on taking other members of his crew as well? Rigsby? Cho? Mashburn? He glanced over at Kris, before he felt a rush of cold air enter into the room at the thought. What if that had been Red John's plan all along, to take each one of his important crew members? To torture and kill them all while, in the process, driving Jane mad?

The more he thought about it, the more he feared it and especially with what he had just promised Bosco moments before, he most certainly couldn't let Kris come aboard the Red Rum with him. He needed to protect her. He knew she would be upset and that she would fight with him, but she had to understand that she needed to be kept safe. If Red John ever took away Kris (or any member of his crew) he would never be able to live with himself, as once was enough to last him several life times.

Bosco's voice interrupted his thoughts for a brief moment again. "I know you have been looking for one of your crew members and there's always the slightest possibility that…" Bosco trailed off, his eyes focused on them both. Jane internally scoffed at the idea Bosco had presented to them. Lisbon, no matter what they had been doing to her, would never betray him that way. Lisbon was a strong woman, who could hold onto her beliefs, even while unspeakable things were happening to her. He concluded, given their friendship over the past eight years, that Lisbon would never betray him.

She had to know how important she was to him and how he needed her in his life, right. Lisbon had been the only one who had ever stood by him, even when the entire crew had questioned his actions on catching Red John.

None of them said anything for a moment, until Bosco spoke again. "I tell you this, just so you are both prepared when you do come upon the Red Rum." He watched as Kris gave him a nervous smile, the thought probably touching her mind also.

"Thank you, Sam." He heard her speak, to which Bosco could only nod his head and Jane watched as the man ushered them from his office. Once in the hallway, Mandy led them both outside the home and they said their goodbyes to one another, before they both walked in silence for a while.

After a few moments of silence, Jane glanced over at Kris. The first mate had her head tilted, slightly, as she rubbed at the back of her neck. He doubted the motion was because she was in pain, as it probably had something to do with all the worry she felt and who could honestly blame her? He could almost guarantee that she had been thinking about what Bosco had told them. He knew that Kris always went to the worst-case scenario and in this situation, he couldn't even be surprised. Bosco hadn't given them much to go on, but he betted his captain position that the new member on the ship wasn't Lisbon.

"Neck pain?" Jane asked, feigning concern for her fake ailment. He just knew he couldn't tell her that he knew what was wrong, as she'd probably only find it strange.

He noticed that she didn't look at him, as she kept her focus on the path ahead of her. "No, I'm just thinking." Kris answered, without much emotion in her voice. Her hand left her neck and she started to twirl at her hair. He could tell she was in panic mode; her body language gave her away every time, whether she liked it or not.

He heard her voice again.

"Do you think it's Lisbon, Jane?" Jane glanced at her quickly, as he stopped in his tracks. How could she even think that? Kris was, supposedly, Lisbon's best friend! How could she even think that Lisbon was capable of such a thing? Kris clearly didn't know Lisbon, especially if she was asking questions like that. Kris stopped to face him also.

"How could you even think that of her?" Jane demanded. "Lisbon would never do that to any of us, she knows we're looking for her." He couldn't move, as he was beyond outraged with Kris. Jane wanted an explanation out of her, and if she didn't give him one, he'd demand it out of her.

Jane," she started to explain, "stop and think about it." Jane _had _thought about it. He had thought about it and her for months. He had thought about it every day since she had gone missing and he had come to the same conclusion every time; it wasn't possible.

"You're wrong." Jane replied, bluntly. He tried to stay calm, but it was hard to do. Some best friend Kris had turned out to be. Jane promised that when they finally found Lisbon and nothing had changed; he would shove it in her face every day.

"How do you know that?" Kris demanded. He just did. He knew Lisbon; he wanted to say to her. That's how he knew that. He knew her. He knew her better than most people, including Kris and right now, Kris was wrong. He heard her again, to which he only rolled his eyes. "It's Red John, Jane. You of all people know what he is capable of." Jane did know what Red John was capable of, because the ideas continued to haunt him ever since he had found his wife and child on the floor of their home, dead. The ideas haunted his every waking memory, since they had been killed and Lisbon had been kidnapped. He knew exactly what Red John was capable of, but he also knew Lisbon's strength. He knew Lisbon was a fighter and that she would get through this without letting herself be manipulated by Red John and his crew.

He crossed his arms against his chest. "Lisbon is strong. She will come out of this, as the same person." Jane waited for her to respond. She shook her head and blinked.

"You're right, Jane." Her words made him blink in surprise, because he knew, she thought that he was always wrong. "Lisbon is strong, but the idea that she'll come out of this as the same person is ignorant. The emotional damage alone…" Kris trailed off and covered her mouth with her hand and he watched, as she shut her eyes tightly.

She reopened her eyes and stared at him. "Do you have any idea what it's like to go through every day and have a belt to your back?" He shook his head. Jane could only imagine what she thought Lisbon might be going through, before he realized what a jerk he had been throughout the entire conversation. Manipulation, in her society as a child, had been an essential part of living and to Kris, manipulation equaled survival.

Jane looked at her; he hoped that his face would convey how sorry he was for being such a jerk to her. He felt himself reach out to touch her face, as he wanted to comfort her. He wanted to be with her, but the last time they had done that, it had been a terrible mistake. Jane still felt guilty about what they had done that night and yet, he wanted nothing more than to be with her again.

He wondered if Kris felt the same conflict or if she had just thought he was being a jerk, for the disagreement that they had just had.

He pulled his hand away. He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't do that to Lisbon. He had to control himself, no matter how much he may not have wanted to in that moment. Instead of having what he wanted most, he pushed past her and walked ahead of her for a while. He could feel her eyes burn into the back of his head, but he had to ignore them. It was most certainly not the time to have that conversation. He needed to think and he needed more time.

One awkward silence later, he and Kris walked up the ramp to the Scarlet Oasis, exhaustion written upon both of their faces. Out of the corner of his eye though, he saw Rigsby coming toward them. Jane hoped that whatever Rigsby had to say could wait until the next morning, as he and Kris both needed rest. Unfortunately for him, Rigsby spoke out instead.

"Captain!" Jane heard Rigsby shout. His eyes flickered over to him and Kris turned to face the crew member also, before the first mate crossed her arms against her chest in a huff.

"Rigsby, can this wait until tomorrow morning?" Jane had not been in the mood to have a serious conversation. Rigsby focused his attention on Jane, before he rocked on his heels—back and forth. Rigsby was clearly nervous and Jane feared for the worse. Had they somehow found Lisbon's body? Had someone else from the crew been kidnapped?

Rigsby evaded Jane's direct question. "Captain, the deadline is almost up." Jane tensed, almost immediately. He hadn't been aware of that, not that he had looked at a calendar very often though. He had implemented the deadline rule when Rebecca had been kidnapped, a number of years ago. Lisbon, he remembered, had been very adamant about finding her. Unfortunately, he had not put that much effort into the search, as Rebecca hadn't been the most valued crew member.

If he had to be completely though, none of them—except for Lisbon—had actually cared about the woman, especially while she had been onboard the Scarlet Oasis. He did, however, remember that he had replaced Rebecca quite quickly, much to Lisbon's dismay.

He heard Kris's voice and he closed his eyes. She was going to kill them all. "What deadline?" Jane kept his mouth shut. He heard her turn to Rigsby, before he opened his eyes to stare at them both. Kris had her eyes narrowed and her arms pressed against her chest, as she probably waited for either one of them to respond to her question.

Rigsby pressed his lips together and he sighed. "The deadline to stop the search for Lisbon."

Kris's face went from pale to blood red and he saw her clench her fists together tightly. From the expression upon her face, she looked as if she were about to tear Rigsby apart with her bare hands and he took a slight step back.

"You've got deadlines for when a person's _life _is no longer important?" Kris spat. Jane felt guilt; if the information Bosco had provided them with didn't lead them anywhere, they'd have to stop the search for Lisbon. He couldn't even abolish the rule aboard the ship, due to the fact that changing their own pirate code and ship charter couldn't happen unless Lisbon was present. He almost wanted to put his hand on Kris's shoulder, but he knew he'd only make the situation worse. Lisbon was important to the Scarlet Oasis, they all knew that, but he had never thought that his first mate would have been taken by anyone else.

_"I can take care of myself, Jane." _Lisbon had once said. Jane had never doubted that, but now that Red John had her; he wished that he wouldn't have even created that rule.

"Kris, it's not about that." Rigsby tried to explain. "It's about…"

Kris immediately cut Rigsby off and if she hadn't been wearing a dress, he was sure that she would have used her sword on him. "Are you kidding me?" Her tone was low, suggesting upcoming danger. "You and Jane," he saw her point in his general direction with her index finger; her hand shaking with rage, "almost kill a man for even suggesting the possibility of Lisbon's death and now, you just want to give up searching for her?" He frowned. Kris putting it like that made them all sound so callous; they had protected Lisbon and they would continue to protect her, but they only had so many resources. Jane didn't want to give into the deadline, but fighting against it would do nothing good.

Jane frowned. Had Red John known about the deadline years ago? Rebecca's disappearance had put a minor dent in himself and Lisbon's friendship, which hadn't exactly shifted the loyalties of the crew in his favor. However, Lisbon's kidnapping was a completely different story. If Red John had known about the rule, could anybody really believe that the man had kidnapped the first mate just because he had wanted revenge or was it just because Red John had wanted to destroy all of the relationships on the Scarlet Oasis?

He allowed himself to glance between Rigsby and Kris, who both continued to argue over the rule. Kris's eyes were still narrowed and Rigsby's hand lingered near his sword, which made him worry slightly. None of the crew were violent toward one other, but it didn't mean any of them couldn't be pushed into starting and finishing something.

"Kris, listen." Rigsby shot back with slight hesitation. "She could already be dead; who knows exactly what O'Laughlin has done to her!" Jane continued to frown. If Red John had already killed her, there would be absolutely no chance that either his crew or he would ever be able to find her body. Red John would make sure of that, as them not finding her body would probably be a punishment for them not working hard enough.

Jane stepped back again. He didn't want to be caught in the middle of Kris's rage, especially as the woman had just thrown her heels across the deck. His eyes widened at the sight of the black heels, careening into the dark and churning ocean and his hand went for his sword, this wasn't going to turn out well.

"You son of a bitch!" Kris stomped toward Rigsby, her arms out in front of her; one fist prepared to crack the man across his jaw. She yelled again. "I'm going to fucking kill you!" Rigsby took a step back and Jane hoped that he was prepared for the inevitable punch that someone was going to get. Before she could hit the man though, Jane grabbed her by both arms and held her back. That way, he thought, Rigsby could keep his life. He felt her lunge forward, but he refused to let her go—they needed Rigsby, no matter what Kris believed or thought at that moment.

Although, Jane had managed to keep her from asserting any physical violence toward Rigsby, the woman still continued to shout at him. "I thought Lisbon trusted you with her life!" Jane tried to catch Rigsby eyes, but the other pirate wouldn't meet his. "I thought you were a _good _man, but instead, you're nothing but a selfish coward!"

Rigsby, still at a good distance away from them both, shouted back. "What are you going to do, Kris? Kill the entire crew for just going along with the rules?" Jane prepared himself for where Rigsby was going to take that comment. As many times as he had thrown the entire crew to the sharks, he knew he deserved this one. "Or kill Jane _and _Lisbon for implementing this deadline?" Jane took the last few precious moments of his life that he had left to scowl at Rigsby for even saying that. He and Lisbon had only wanted to do right by the crew and by the ship, but he had allowed for his revenge to push them all into darker waters. Even _if _Lisbon survived and could move past the horrors of the Red Rum, would she want to come back to the ship and try to fix all of the problems he had left for her?

_Of course she would_, he told himself, _it's Lisbon. She has a thing for cleaning up my messes_.

Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Rigsby sneak away from them both. Kris tore from his grip, before she turned to face him. Jane tensed; what was the woman going to do to him? She had her glare fixed on him, although she looked as if she were about to cry. Jane had the strongest urge to roll his eyes at her sudden mood swing, but he knew it wouldn't do him any good.

"You." Kris seethed through her teeth. Jane stepped back, even though he knew his actions wouldn't save him from anything he was most likely to receive from the first mate. He threw his hands up in surrender; admitting defeat to her was better than being killed by her.

"Kris, it's not what you think." He hurried to explain. "Please let me explain." Jane watched as she stood there, her breathing heavy. Kris's face didn't show any sign of calming down, which meant she wasn't going to let him explain any of it to her.

"No. How about I kill you instead?" Her hand clenched back into a fist before his eyes and he blinked. How was he going to stop her? She had every right to be angry with him, but he hadn't been the _only _one to agree to the rule. Lisbon hadn't put her foot down and Kris wasn't even going to drag her name through the mud? It made absolutely no sense to him and he planned to tell her so, later on.

"Now, Kris. If you killed me, we most certainly won't find Lisbon." Jane gave a nervous smile, but it did nothing to take away the rage in Kris's face. Kris stepped forward and he realized that his words might not have been the smartest things to say, but he had to try, if only to stop her for a few seconds.

"I knew it!" Kris threw. Jane wasn't too sure of what the first mate was trying to get at, but he was almost positive that a hit to his character was coming. Kris couldn't take hits to her own character, but she had no problem shelling out insults to others, especially if she thought the moment had arose. "I knew this whole pointless journey wouldn't end up being about Lisbon, but about Red John and your quest for petty revenge." He watched her settle into her fighting stance, even though she lacked a weapon. Her brute strength, he knew, wouldn't help his face at all. "After all, there's no _deadline _to catch Red John, is there Jane? You've had eight years for him, while you've only allotted Lisbon _five _months? It shows where your priorities lie, truly."

Jane kept quiet. Anything that he said in response to her, would only make the situation worse and he took what she had said as a rhetorical question, anyway; something Lisbon had done quite often with him, only to learn that he should never answer them. They only got you into more trouble.

He heard her speak again. "If anything," she said with her voice shaking, "I had thought the _one _thing that we had both agreed on, without question was Lisbon's importance." He knew she was right. If he never found Lisbon, he knew he would lose the crew and Kris all at once and he didn't know if his heart could take losing everything in one go. She continued on. "Why is it that I seem to be the only one who actually cares for _just _her and not what she can do for this ship? Why am I the only one who wants to fight for her?" Jane watched her closely. He noticed that the first mate was no longer angry, but she instead had been pushed to the verge of tears. "You're so wrapped up in yourself, Jane. You don't stop and think how _anybody _else feels."

Jane scowled. He had been Lisbon's best friend and she was lecturing him on not knowing how it _felt_ to lose her? Kris, he believed, had absolutely no idea what loss felt like—even if she had said that she had once lost someone—and bitterly, he hoped that she would learn. "No, Kris. It's _you_, who remains so wrapped up in her own problems that she doesn't even _care_…"

Kris interrupted him. "You disgust me." With that, she spun on her heels and ran down the stairs, while he could only stand there and wonder where he had gone wrong with choosing his first mate.


	15. Chapter 15

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything!

Thanks to Frogster for the review!

Okay, so I should explain a little about the last three chapters of this story. In the past, each chapter has been separated into two points of views: Kris/Jane, Jane/Lisbon, Lisbon/Kris. However, these last three chapters will focus on one character only.

This chapter, for example, focuses purely on Lisbon; it contains a little sexual content and violence. I'm also sad to say that this will be the last time that Lisbon's point of view is used within this story. I had a blast writing her and the chapters involving her were always my favorite, as horrible as that may make me sound.

Anyway, enough rambling…let's get onto the chapter, shall we?

* * *

><p>With the white sheet wrapped around her, Lisbon remained in Craig's bare arms. The sheet was cool against her flushed body, as Craig continued his ministrations against her neck and she closed her eyes. The sheet felt cool against her flushed body and Lisbon felt safe with her body pressed against his; the warmth lulling her back into a state of almost sleep, because Craig had awoken her early to start the day.<p>

When she had been the first mate on the Scarlet Oasis eons ago, her schedule had always called for her to wake alone. Jane had never enjoyed being disturbed from his sleep schedule, unless she couldn't help it or really needed him for something. On the Red Rum though, the entire crew awoke at the same time and the Captain had his eye on everybody the entire time, while his own hands worked to prepare the ship for its next destination. Lisbon admired Captain Red John, who ruled his ship with an iron fist and who had sworn to protect them all from the clutches of the Scarlet Oasis.

"Hungry?" Craig asked, his lips away from her neck. Lisbon opened her eyes and shook her head; the small amount of strawberry that he had given her earlier had upset her stomach and the idea of any food made her ill anymore. Water was a godsend, as it was the only thing that wouldn't hurt her stomach and could keep her gnawing hunger at bay. "I wish we could stay here all day," Craig continued on, "just you and I together, but alas, we cannot."

Lisbon moved her head back to stare up at Craig. She wanted to ask him why they couldn't, but she knew better than to take the first mate away from his duties to Captain Red John. Craig chuckled lightly, a soft smile across his face, as he glanced down at her.

"The Captain requests our presence later." Lisbon furrowed her brows in confusion. The Captain had never specifically asked for them both together before; usually, Captain Red John asked for the officers of the crew—Craig and Carter, to join him for breakfast every morning to discuss the crew and the affairs aboard the ship. After Craig had taken her from the hellhole of a cell and had gotten her legs back into working shape again, Craig had begun to allow for her to join them. Captain Red John, Lisbon had come to learn, had interesting ideas. He wasn't _twisted_, like Jane had once said. He wasn't even heartless, as the Captain hadn't ridiculed her for her opinions of the Scarlet Oasis and its crew. The Captain had detailed plans for how to ruin each of the crew officers aboard the Scarlet Oasis, and the longer she spent with them all and listened to the way the world _really _was outside of her old ship; the more she thirsted for blood for her new Captain. "We need to get you dressed; the Captain doesn't like to be kept waiting." She said nothing, as Craig left her atop the bed and stepped over to his dresser to pull out a black dress. He turned to face her, before he threw the garment atop the bed.

Lisbon put it on, without complaint; the Red Rum didn't like whiners and she wasn't going to argue, as one always wore the ship uniform proudly.

The dress, once on her, was of black velvet against her pallor skin. It was also short—the hem on the dress fell to her bare thighs, still decorated with fading bruises—but it made Craig happy, as he moved to stare at her exposed chest. His rapid attention made her beam; the man made her feel so good about herself and he made her feel special; especially with everything he did for her.

"You look beautiful." Craig whispered into her ear, as he moved his hands to her hips. "The Captain will be extremely taken by your beauty, much like I always have been." Lisbon said nothing again, her cheeks burned from his compliment, as Craig pressed his lips to hers; his moist tongue slipped past her slightly parted lips, before he begun to reclaim every inch of her mouth in a matter of seconds. She sighed into his kiss; his lips were still soft and tasted of strawberries. Her hands tried to slip down Craig's tights to give him what he _truly _deserved, when a knock to Craig's door put an end to their activities.

"Come in." Craig called, after they had both righted themselves again. The door opened to reveal Carter, who limped into the room with his black cane. The navigator took a brief moment to gaze at them both, his lips pulled into a slight smile and she wondered how much he had heard from them both earlier.

"Good morning, First Mate O'Laughlin." Carter greeted and Lisbon moved to stare up at Craig, who seemed irritated that they had been interrupted. "I hope I wasn't interrupting time with your…" He paused to look her over, his eyes lingered on her chest and she tried to keep from smiling at his attention of her too. "Lady." Carter had yet to say her name either, even though they weren't exactly strangers with each other.

Lisbon assumed her lack of name from him was about the lack of respect she had shown Craig in the beginning. She frowned. Why hadn't her past self just realized that the Red Rum was only trying to help her become un-brainwashed by the Scarlet Oasis? If she had, Craig would still be saying her name—_"Teresa."_—and she'd already be a member on the crew, who most certainly wanted her around.

"What do you need, Navigator Carter?" Craig asked, through his clenched teeth. Lisbon continued to glance up at Craig; she hoped he would calm down, as bloodshed between officers wasn't permitted upon the ship.

"The Captain wishes to see you again." Carter answered. Craig said nothing, as he let go of her waist and crossed his arms against his chest.

"All right." Craig said, after a moment of silence. He glanced at her with a smile. "We'll finish what we started when I get back, my love." Craig stepped from the room; the door to Craig's quarters slammed shut, before Carter stepped toward her and placed his index finger and his thumb under her chin to lift it up.

Lisbon fell to her knees at his action, her eyes trained on Carter's smirking face. She watched him pull down his black tights and white undergarments to expose his bulging erection, before he motioned for her to come near and she moved to crawl on all fours over to Carter.

He said nothing to her, as she took him in her mouth.

Carter had taught her how to make the crew officers happy with the single hand motion of his hand pressed to her chin; something he had told her not to share with Craig, as he would never understand the amount of love that they had for each other. As Carter had never hurt her, she figured he did love her and that she should love him also.

Lisbon felt a light pat on her head and with a closed-lip smile, she pulled away and stood. His juicy liquids still on her tongue, as Craig stepped back into the room and took her by the waist again.

"I'm sorry it took so long." Craig apologized and Lisbon swallowed, before she smiled. "However, I need you to come with me." Lisbon nodded.

Craig guided her from his room, and up the stairs from the lower deck to the main deck to the gritty helm; he had his hand pressed to her hips still. She continued to smile at his soft touch, as he remained silent and they both moved past the lingering Red Rum crew members, who all wore grim expressions. Lisbon stopped; only when Craig's comforting touch left her lower back and she had to stop herself from turning around to find him.

She tried to control the minor shaking in her legs. Lisbon knew Captain Red John wouldn't let anything happen to her, but she felt completely helpless with her back to the crew down below and without knowing where Craig was. Her eyes focused on the dark, churning waters from a distance; Carter had said a storm was heading their way, which filled her with a certain amount of apprehension. What if the Red Rum wasn't equipped to withstand a storm? She blinked away the imagined image of the magnificent Red Rum burning and Craig's dead body before her eyes; _without him_, she thought, _I don't think I could live_.

"You should turn around," interrupted Carter's voice and Lisbon did as she was told. Her line of sight was immediately met with both Craig and Carter. Craig didn't look too happy, while Carter stood with both of his arms crossed against his chest. Lisbon glanced between the two of them, before she looked down at her feet. The bowing of her head had been something she had been taught to do from sitting in on meetings between Captain Red John, Craig and Carter, as she wasn't yet an officer.

"Navigator Carter and I have a few questions for you." Craig's voice made her glance up, her attention fully focused on him and his unhappiness. "You will answer them." Lisbon nodded. She'd do anything to make Craig happy again, even if it meant answering a few of their harmless questions.

Carter held tightly to his cane, a small smile on his lips. "Who is the enemy?"

"The Scarlet Oasis," she answered without hesitation, "anyone who is against Captain Red John or his crew, sir." Carter limped forward toward her, before he patted her on the shoulder and she smiled. Her attention then became completely focused on Craig, as he circled around her.

"What is the motto of the Red Rum?" Craig asked and Lisbon continued to smile. She knew this one also.

"_Omni ope atque opera_, sir." Craig paused in his circling around her to smile, which told her she was doing an excellent job. She didn't want to disappoint either of them or her new Captain.

"Who is your best friend?" Carter asked.

Lisbon glanced at Craig, who stood before her. "First Mate O'Laughlin, sir." Carter flashed his teeth toward her and she returned the smile again; if she kept answering their questions without lying, she wondered if she could gain respect from Carter also.

"Did we save you?" Craig asked.

"Yes, sir." The nod of his head flooded her with happiness. If it hadn't been for Craig, her life would have held absolutely no purpose. Craig deserved the honest truth, if only to make him happier again. Lisbon kept her eyes on his handsome face, as Carter asked the next question.

"Do you have any reason to deviate from the Red Rum?"

Lisbon hesitated with a frown; the Red Rum had been nothing but kind to her, but she still wondered, even after all of Craig's reassurances, if she wasn't making some horrible mistake in placing her loyalties with them. Before she could even ponder the question further, something hit the back of her legs and she tumbled to the ground. Her eyes lingered on Craig, who wore an overwhelming expression of sadness, as the whip cracked down upon her legs, over and over and over again.

_We only do these things to save you_, Craig had once said.

The hesitation was something she couldn't help though. She loved Craig with all of her heart, but she had made the worst decision of her life by allowing Jane to captain the Scarlet Oasis. If only she had taken the Captain role, like Walter Mashburn had suggested eight years ago, she and Craig could have been together under much different circumstances.

"I will ask again," Carter continued on, after the last blow had been delivered to her legs, "do you have any reason to deviate from the Red Rum?"

Lisbon kept her eyes on Craig. "No, sir, not anymore." Patrick Jane had lost his chance to make things right with her, years ago and she knew where she belonged; at the side of First Mate Craig O'Laughlin, no matter where he took them both.

"Good." Carter murmured in praise, while he motioned for her to stand. Lisbon did so, only for Craig to step toward her. He said nothing to her, as he circled her again and she remained perfectly still, trying to ignore the sharp pain in her legs.

"Do you want to sleep with Patrick Jane?"

"No, sir." Her heart hammered in her chest and the disgust she felt was enough to make her want to vomit. Could they not see that her loyalties no longer lied with the blonde Captain? She hadn't even _thought _of sleeping with another man and she never would, as Craig was her one and only.

_Patrick Jane lost his chance there too_, she thought with delight. A relationship between the two of them seemed almost laughable, considering he enjoyed toying with women; seeing how far he could dominate them with his superior tongue and wit, before they fell into his pilfered sheets, while she had been taught that she was far more superior than anyone else aboard the Scarlet Oasis and that she was way above his petty tricks.

"Who wanted you to die?" Carter asked and Lisbon's eyes went to him, wide and unblinking.

"Patrick Jane, Kristina Saffron, Walter Mashburn, Kimball Cho and Wayne Rigsby, sir." Lisbon said, with her throat tight with emotion. Although she had moved past their initial betrayals, it still stung to think about the people who she had once labeled as her _friends_. She had given up on being found by them, because if they had been looking hard enough, they would have found her already. Craig had explained that the Scarlet Oasis had always been one step behind them and if the crew had wanted her back, they would have found her within the first hour of her disappearance from Howl Island. Instead, the crew had not followed the orders given to them from their Captain and First Mate: to kill Craig O'Laughlin on sight. Carter nodded and she took a deep breath. If the crew _had _followed the direct order, she wouldn't even be with Craig. If the crew had wanted her back, she would have never heard the truth from Craig and Carter.

"Do you love me?" Craig's question took her by surprise, as he continued to circle her.

"Yes, sir." The idea that she couldn't or didn't love him would have been absurd. Craig had made her seen the light; he had given her a reason for living again and he had rescued her from the perpetual hellhole that was the Scarlet Oasis. Her heart thudded loudly from within her chest. Her love for Craig surpassed her love for the Red Rum, for the good Captain Red John, and the love she had for herself.

_Nobody else will understand what you've gone through_, Craig had said.

_Nobody else will love you like I do_, Craig had said.

And he was right.

He always had been, but she had just never listened to him.

When he had been on the Scarlet Oasis, she had been torn in so many different directions with him. Rigsby had come to her with endless concerns about Craig—_"He's not trustworthy, Lisbon."_, _"You can't honestly be trusting him with that, can you?"_—Craig had come to her with his endless concerns about Jane—_"You shouldn't trust the Captain, Teresa, he's only going to get you into trouble."_, _"I overheard something about you from the Captain; he doesn't sound too pleased with you."_—and Jane had come to her, the unsaid expectations of her fixing all of his problems written across his face.

If only she had left with Craig then, things would have ended differently.

She would have never been shot. She would have never been hurt. She would have never felt unloved or hated. She wouldn't have been Lisbon; she would have been just Teresa: the woman, who held Craig O'Laughlin's heart onboard the Red Rum.

Carter cleared his throat, still holding tightly onto his cane. "Does this crew, unlike the Scarlet Oasis, appreciate you?" Lisbon met his eyes, a soft smile across her lips.

"Yes, sir." Carter merely smiled again.

"Do you still desire friendship from any of the Scarlet Oasis crew?"

Lisbon bit her lip; she did and she didn't.

The crew members from the Scarlet Oasis, as uncaring as they were, had been the only form of a family she had and knew. Her own family had written her off after her mother's death, which meant that she had to either get married or become a pirate to sustain herself. Lisbon had never been able to see herself being a married woman, as the man expected his wife to do everything for him, but she had always dreamt of doing something bigger with her life.

The whip bit down on her legs again and she gasped. Craig wore a disapproving frown and Lisbon clamped her mouth shut, as the whip continued to strike against her bare legs. She didn't want to make him upset or angry with her, just because she was in pain due to her own stupidity.

"Once again, do you still desire friendship from any of the Scarlet Oasis crew?" Craig asked again, as she moved from the ground, after the whip had finished with her skin. Her legs burned, but she managed on her own two feet, as she kept her attention on Craig.

"No, sir. I do not." Craig tossed her a smile, which she returned again. Pain or not, she wasn't going to upset him any further. Craig had risked his entire position on the crew for her and she'd be damned if she was going to get him killed, because she couldn't follow directions. Craig knew what he was doing. Craig knew what he was saying. Craig only had her best interests at heart and if she didn't listen to him, she would be no better than the Scarlet Oasis crew.

"How did Saffron and Jane betray you?" Carter questioned.

Lisbon swayed on her feet slightly, as she continued to ignore the pain. "They lied to me. They wanted to kill me. They wanted to get rid of me, sir." In Craig's room, the letter burned a hole on top of his dresser; it was something she usually carried around with her everywhere she went, but the dress that Carter had given to her had left no place for the letter to go. She hadn't wanted Captain Red John seeing the letters that Craig had given to her either, just in case the Captain had no idea that his first mate had been giving them to her.

Carter nodded again.

"Who made me shoot you?" Craig inquired next and Lisbon blinked.

"Patrick Jane did, sir." Lisbon couldn't help the involuntary shiver that shot through her body, as she imagined the feel of the bullet ripping through her shoulder again. Craig hadn't wanted to hurt her, but Patrick Jane had.

Patrick Jane, the reason for all of her conflictions and problems.

If he was dead, she knew, she'd never have another problem again. She and Craig could continue their work of saving others on the Red Rum, while the entire Scarlet Oasis mourned the loss of their _beloved_, drunkard of a Captain.

But Craig wouldn't let her kill him.

_His blood on your hands_, Craig had said, _does you no good. _

_There are other ways to get revenge_, Craig had said, _ways that don't involve bloodshed. _

She, of course, believed him. Craig had no reason to lie. Craig knew how to deal with traitors. And if he said that one could gain revenge through other ways, she had no reason to doubt him. Craig had never been wrong. Craig had never led her astray. Craig knew her better than she knew herself.

"Would you die for your Captain?" Carter questioned, interrupting her thoughts about Craig again.

"Yes, sir." There didn't need to be any amount of hesitation in her answer, as her Captain had saved her and Craig. Her Captain had brought both of them together from the clutches of the Scarlet Oasis and she could never repay him enough; even if she saved him, her death would never be enough.

"Why do you deserve our respect?" Craig asked. Her eyes lingered on him again, as she prepared herself to answer his important question.

"Because I'd do anything for you, sir." Lisbon responded, a smile on her face. She'd do anything to protect them. She'd do anything to repay them for all of the kindness that they had shown her. Also, she desired for them to say her name again. Out of everything they had given her, her name on their lips was something she wanted the most. "Lisbon" reminded her of her days on the Scarlet Oasis, but "Teresa" reminded her off happier times—of times when Craig cared and actually wanted her around, unlike Patrick Jane, who only wanted her dead.

Craig flashed his teeth toward her. "You are doing an excellent job."

His compliment filled her with pride, and set her cheeks ablaze with color. Carter merely looked on, his lips curled into a faint smile.

"What is your mission?"

Lisbon blinked. Her mission? She had a mission? She racked her brain for any memory of Carter or Craig telling her that she had a mission, but she couldn't find one. Guilt flooded into the pit of her stomach. Had they said something and she just hadn't been paying attention? How could she have not listened to Craig or Carter? They had listened to everything she said and she just ignored them?

The whip cracked down on her again, before she could get even ask for clarification.

Craig looked troubled, as did Carter, and through the pain, she wanted to tell them both that she was trying. She wanted to tell them both that she was sorry, but she couldn't. They hadn't asked her a direct question and she wasn't _yet _apart of their crew, which meant she had to remain mute on deck. Instead, she stared down at the wooden planks and allowed whoever was behind her to continue their non-stop assault of her bare legs.

She didn't scream. She didn't cry. She didn't beg for it to stop. She just took it, because she knew she deserved to be punished for not listening to them. Every hit against her leg reminded her of what she had survived and why she had gotten there in the first place.

_I saved you_, Craig had said.

_The Scarlet Oasis is your enemy_, Craig had said.

And like the sunlight, the answer to his question lingered on her tongue.

"What is your mission?" Carter asked again and Lisbon glanced up at him, still sprawled out across the wooden deck of the helm.

"My mission is to avenge Captain Red John and his crew, sir." Lisbon started, her voice low and soft, as she continued her formulated answer. "To kill Patrick Jane and his crew for trying to bring down the Red Rum, sir." Lisbon knew they had to destroy Patrick Jane and his merry crew, even if she couldn't do it personally. "To seek revenge on those who have harmed this crew, sir."

And with one final glance up at both Craig and Carter, she could see just how happy her final answer had made them, for both had huge smiles across their faces.

* * *

><p>Still in her black velvet dress and face smeared with scarlet, Lisbon waited for Craig to motion for her to collapse onto the bed. Craig kicked off his own boots, before he turned to her and nodded his consent. The cool sheets of the bed felt wonderful against her aches and pains from their trek onto Curry Island, as they had been gone from the early afternoon to the early evening.<p>

The screams from the island rang in her ears and she wondered if she was even ready to join the crew. She had only ever killed others to defend herself or Jane before, yet the Red Rum crew members killed men and women upon the island. _Captain Red John has his reasons for killing all of those people_, a voice in her head tried to reason, _these _people _aren't worthy enough to keep around. _

The crew though, for whatever reason, had left the children alone. Mothers and fathers were tortured before their children, gutted with swords, and left along with the Red John smiley insignia (a smiley face, drawn in the victim's blood) above their bodies. The symbol from above the lifeless bodies, organs strung everywhere, left fear and reminded everyone that Captain Red John and his fearless crew still ruled the oceans without mercy for men and women.

Craig glanced at her, "you look shaken up, is everything okay?" Lisbon shook her head and closed her eyes; the sights of the bloodied parents and crying children greeted her. How could anyone be alright after that?

"They tortured men and women in front of their children, Craig." She tried to keep the tears at bay, but she found that she couldn't. "They…" Lisbon didn't get the chance to finish her sentence, as his arms wrapped around her and she broke down into sobs against him. She wanted to follow the orders of her Captain, but she couldn't kill for pleasure. She had to have purpose behind her kills and if she was going to continue lending her services to the good Captain, he needed to appeal to her logic of _why _the person needed to die. It was clear that the entire crew of the Scarlet Oasis needed to die, as they had hurt her, but nobody on Curry Island had double-crossed her.

Craig's hand petted her hair. "We don't kill people on this ship unless they deserve it." Lisbon clung to him, as he continued to sooth her with his voice. "The people on Curry Island lied to our good Captain, my love. They betrayed him and because of that, the women and men had to suffer." Lisbon glanced up at him. If the individuals on Curry Island had lied to the Captain, she guessed that they deserved to die. "We're not monsters. We have reasons for why we gut and knife others. If we let people get away with these transgressions, we're not going to be keeping with our mission."

_My mission is to avenge Captain Red John and his crew. To kill Patrick Jane and his crew for trying to bring down the Red Rum. To seek revenge on those who have harmed this crew. _

"And our mission is important, isn't it?"

_My mission is to avenge Captain Red John and his crew. To kill Patrick Jane and his crew for trying to bring down the Red Rum. To seek revenge on those who have harmed this crew._

"Yes, sir." Lisbon responded and Craig smiled, before he pulled himself away from her and stood from the bed. She frowned, as her eyes lingered on Craig. Why had he left her? Was he upset with her for crying, even though she could reason her tears with him. She opened her mouth, when he shook his head for her to remain silent.

"I need you to come with me." Craig said and Lisbon stood from the bed to join him, as he motioned for her to place his boots back on his feet. She did so without objection and felt his hand pet her hair again, which made her smile contently; all the tears gone from her eyes. "The Captain needs you to do something for him and I want to make sure you can do it." She stared up at him, still on her knees. If it weren't for the fact that they had something pressing to take care of, her lips would have pleasured his body in the ways that she knew he would have liked. "We have a crew member above us, who needs to be executed. She has committed various crimes of treason upon this ship by having loose lips, as she has given others various information about this crew that could harm us all." Lisbon nodded. Why did anybody think they could get away with betraying the Red Rum? She tried not to clench her fists together at her anger for anybody hurting her crew, because her anger was useless. Captain Red John would teach the bitch a lesson, much like he would eventually teach Patrick Jane and his crew a lesson. "The Captain has bestowed upon you the great honor." Her eyes went wide. Captain Red John had _bestowed _something upon her? He actually thought her to be useful? Tears sprung to her eyes again. The Captain really did love her, didn't he? "Can you execute her for us?"

"Yes, sir." Lisbon repeated, a smile on her face. "I will kill her, all in the good name of Captain Red John." Craig smiled brightly, before he unsheathed his sword from its holster and held it out to her. It had been the same sword that he had given her upon Curry Island, which had only been used to defend herself against the attacks from the angry island-goers. She took the golden hilt from him in her hand and steadied herself back on her feet.

"Are you ready?" Craig asked her and she nodded. She had no choice, as her Captain wanted the deed done and she would follow her Captain and his crew anywhere. She would follow Craig anywhere. Craig led her back onto the main deck, away from the helm to the other side of the ship, where the crew lingered in a circle. Carter followed behind, having met them both on the way from Craig's room. Lisbon tried to hide her nervousness, as Craig guided her into the circle and backed away.

With a shaky breath, Lisbon glanced down at the wooden deck below her feet, where she knew the bitch would be waiting for her. She took a moment to glance at the dumpy woman, to figure out how to execute her best; the short-haired brunette woman wore a brown ragged dress and her legs were both extremely frail and deathly pale, which reminded Lisbon of her own legs weeks ago. Was the woman alive? Lisbon wanted to know, as she removed the scarlet-tipped sword that Craig had given her on Curry Island. She couldn't tell, as she couldn't see the woman's face.

Not that it mattered though, as the Captain had asked for the woman to be executed and Lisbon obeyed her Captain. He had saved her and executing someone, though it made her slightly ill to her stomach, was the least she could do to repay one of the thousands of favors that she owed him.

Slowly, she brought the sword over her shoulder, before she brought the sharp, curved blade back down to the brunette's neck. Alive or not, it was a silent and grotesque death, as Lisbon watched vibrant liquids pool all around the body.

Craig's arms encircled her from behind. "Congratulations." The sword was taken from her and she furrowed her brows. Why had he congratulated her? She was only doing what their good Captain wanted. She felt his hot breath against her ear, which made her smile, as she heard his voice again. "I love you, Officer Teresa Lisbon."

Her heart thudded against her ribcage, as happiness exploded through her. Craig, after everything they had been through together, had _finally _said her name and she felt whole again.

_Officer Teresa Lisbon_, she repeated in her head, over and over again.

It was better than the title Jane had crudely bestowed upon her, way before he had wanted to kill her for his little wench, and she couldn't help but turn in Craig's arms—splattered with the life of the worthless being behind her—and kiss his lips.

* * *

><p>Under the covers, Lisbon smiled as she felt Craig's body slide in next to her. It had been a busy last few days; Captain Red John had been keeping the entire crew busy, as they had received word that the Scarlet Oasis was approaching for battle. Carter had reassured the entire crew that the Scarlet Oasis wouldn't find them, because he was better than the navigator aboard Jane's ship, Kimball Cho.<p>

She blinked into the darkness. The Captain was not forgiving when it came to betrayal, which made her feel that he would be the one to enact the proper revenge on Jane and his crew. Captain Red John had caught the mole, a disgusting waste of a pirate that didn't know what the word loyalty meant, who had given the coordinates up to someone on Governor's Island. To make a point to the entire crew, Captain Red John had again bestowed the honor of executing the rat to her in front of the crew.

The name from the mole's lips, before she had driven the sword into his chest, had been of General Samuel Bosco. The fact that somebody _that _high up on the island (besides Governor Bertram, who would never rat them out) knew where they were, had sent the entire crew into a fury. Captain Red John had merely silenced them all with the promise that he would kill the General for his loose lips regarding their coordinates.

Lisbon hadn't been entirely too sure how to feel about the Scarlet Oasis approaching for battle, but in the privacy of Craig's bedroom, Craig had taken her in his arms and had whispered that they wouldn't find her or take her from him. However, as much as she hated to give _any _tendril of credit to her old crew, Lisbon knew they wouldn't rest until _all _of them were dead. The possible thought that Craig, Carter or Captain Red John could die at the hands of Jane or Saffron frightened her; she needed her Captain. She needed Carter. She needed her Craig. If they weren't around, who was supposed to save her?

She felt Craig touch her face and she tried to smile, as she held back the tears. Just because Jane had been gunning to kill Captain Red John for years didn't mean that the crew wasn't going to kill her with their own swords or take her as their war slave; they'd probably torture her over and over again with their whips and torture her with the realization that Saffron and Jane had _really _been together on that island years ago.

Lisbon allowed for Craig to wrap his arms around her, the warmth of his body against hers banished her demons from the recesses of her mind. Nobody had ever dared to interrupt them at night and if the Scarlet Oasis would somehow find them together, she knew that Craig would protect them both. He had better fighting skills than most of the crew aboard the Scarlet Oasis, in her opinion, and he had begun to teach her more advanced techniques; in case he wasn't ever around to protect her.

Her heart plummeted into her stomach at that thought. The idea that Craig wouldn't be around made her ill, as he had been one of the only pirates to actually care and understand about what she had gone through. _If someone did kill him though_, Lisbon thought with Craig's hand in her hair, _I'll kill them. Craig is mine, after all and I am his. _

She felt Craig's lips press against her own, before his moist tongue slipped between her parted lips and she sighed into him. How had she gotten so lucky to have a man like Craig around? In the back of her thoughts, she almost wanted to _thank _Jane for pushing them both back together. If the smug pirate captain hadn't been so adamant about killing her for his wench, she would have never been led back to Craig's strong arms. She would have never found happiness.

"Thank you for giving me everything I've ever desired." Lisbon told him, when she finally pulled away from his lips. "Thank you for saving me from the Scarlet Oasis. Thank you for sparing my life, when I had been an ungrateful wench. Thank you for giving me a second chance. Thank you," her hand went to the golden cross at her neck, "for loving me enough to…" Under the cover, she felt his hand caress her bare breasts and she pressed herself into him again; she could feel his hardness aching against her nude body. "Is there anything you wish me to do, Craig?" She wanted to pleasure him, but she had learned to let _him _initiate it. Depending on whatever had happened to him in the hours since she had last seen him, she didn't want to push him into needing to punish her for breaking one of the various rules.

"I want you to be quiet, Teresa." Lisbon's eyes went wide in surprise; the voice didn't belong to Craig, it belonged to Captain Red John. She wanted to ask him why he was there, but she didn't dare say a word. Captain Red John had given an order and she had to obey it.

Lisbon felt the Captain situate himself on top of her, the cover over the both of them, as he filled her with his length. She said nothing, while he ground himself into her. Carter had taught her not to make noises, especially when others had requested silence to occur. Lisbon wanted to stare up at her Captain with admiration, but they were in the dark and he still requested that she kept her head bowed in his presence.

However, his presence confused her. Why had the Captain waited to give her such a gift? Did him touching her mean that he respected her? A large smile crossed Lisbon's face. Captain Red John was on top of her, which meant that he had finally acknowledged her presence, without Craig being next to her.

When he finally finished, they both remained completely still; him inside of her and a small smile across her lips. Captain Red John said nothing, until she felt his lips at her neck.

"Do you trust me, Teresa?" Red John whispered.

"Yes, Captain." Lisbon answered; she trusted everyone aboard the Red Rum. "With my life."

"Good," Captain Red John replied and silence refilled the room, only to be replaced with his smooth voice moments later, "come with me." He removed himself from her, before she pushed the covers aside and stumbled after her Captain into the darkness, without any clothing on.


	16. Chapter 16

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I own nothing. I'm just the writer, who is allowed to destroy lives and laugh while doing so.

Thanks to **Little-Firestar84**, **Loes-chan**, and **Frogster **for the reviews! I appreciate the kind words and alerts from everyone!

* * *

><p>At the head of the table within his quarters, Jane learned back in one of his chairs and continued to listen to the side conversations from the other officers. None of what they were discussing held any importance to him, but he knew he had to eventually start the conversation with them somewhere. He almost cleared his throat, when he heard Mashburn's voice.<p>

"You didn't seduce the coordinates out of him, did you?" Mashburn questioned Kris, who merely narrowed her eyes in response. "Is that why you and Patrick wore fancy clothing, hm?" Jane hid his grin. After his fight with Kris, he had given the coordinates to Cho. None of the crew, however, had been entirely too sure how they had gotten their hands on the information. From the crew, Jane had heard multiple different stories of how they could have done it: Kris killed someone. Kris used Jane to torture the coordinates out of someone. Jane annoyed the person to death. And his favorite: Kris and he had seduced some mystery figure into giving the coordinates, due to how they both had been dressed up. Kris hadn't dispelled the rumors, although she looked like she was ready to. "Did you, the good Captain, and our mystery informant really have a little romp in the…"

"Do you mind?" Kris replied, a scowl across her face. "Some of us are actually trying to enjoy breakfast without your lewd comments about me and my sex life." Jane bit back his laughter. Mashburn apparently enjoyed pressing his luck with the temporary first mate, which made for his amusement. Lisbon had always found the bickering to be tiresome, but he just found it to be quite amusing.

"So, you _do _have a sex life." Mashburn replied, as he leaned forward out of interest. Jane wondered if the man had figured out that Kris wasn't interested in him, as if she had been, the two would have been together within a matter of minutes. "How interesting! Tell me more, Kristina." Jane moved his eyes to Cho and Rigsby, who held their own hushed conversation; their eyes lingered on his for a moment or so, as if to ask why he hadn't stopped Mashburn from talking yet. Kris continued to glare down Mashburn, and Jane didn't worry about their lewd conversation; the first mate had always been able to handle herself just fine. "Do you have a favorite position?" _This isn't going to end well_, Jane thought without batting an eye. "Maybe we can trade notes? You show me yours, I'll show you…" He paused in the middle of his sentence, only to let out a loud yelp of pain, which interrupted all of the conversations within the room. "Damn it, Kristina! No need for that kind of foreplay at the table! We're not in bed yet."

"And we will never be in bed together, Walter." Kris replied, a darker tone crept into her voice. "Why don't you ask Jane to trade notes with you? As I recall, he has a particularly vibrant sex life too…" Jane glanced at her in surprise, though she seemed to be purposely avoiding his eyes. He wished he could glance into her thoughts, because he was sure that she was thinking about him and their night together months ago. "I'm not speaking from personal experience," _liar_, he called her silently, "but, I'm sure he knows more than I do." Mashburn's jaw hung slightly open and from the smirk on Kris's lips, he knew she was going in for the kill. "One of his moves, I'm positive, is where he takes his sword and drives it through your damned chest for implying such ridiculousness." Mashburn went silent, before she turned to him and kept her eyes narrowed. "Jane, why the hell are we still here? We've discussed the crew; we've discussed your need to pick up tea. Hell, we've even discussed Lisbon for a few minutes."

They had. Kris had inquired what they would do with Lisbon once they found her, but he had waved her question off. Lisbon would be fine; she didn't need any special arrangements or accommodations, just because she had been kidnapped for five months. He and Lisbon had fared worse before and if Kris thought that a little time on the Red Rum would change the first mate, she obviously didn't know Lisbon very well.

"We have more important things to do, sir." Cho agreed with Kris and he nearly rolled his eyes at their partnership. Couldn't anybody on the ship just relax anymore? He'd fight the Red Rum; Lisbon would be fine and Red John would be dead by his own hand. He'd come back and Lisbon would be his first mate once again, because she'd be so thankful that he had saved her life that she wouldn't want to leave him ever again.

"Sitting on our asses is not one of those things." Kris continued and Jane chuckled, which made her glare in his direction. Kris's glare did nothing except to further amuse him. He rose from his chair and gained the attention of his officers, before he spoke.

"We're been searching for Lisbon for five months now; fighting off common enemies, coming together for a common cause, chasing storms though we couldn't see where we were actually headed." Jane hated himself for sounding so sappy, but he needed to cushion the blow about a decision he had made less than forty-eight hours ago. He heard Kris snort and he was sure that the entire crew was laughing at him, abet silently. "I know I haven't always been the best Captain, but you all, my loyal crew and friends, have stuck by me and I want to thank you all for your services." He tried to keep his face straight, even at all of the eye rolling. "However, certain sacrifices have to be made and I've decided that none of you are to accompany me upon the Red Rum."

The laughter stopped, as Kris shot from her seat and started for her sword. Jane took a step back, as he didn't want to become impaled by her sword. "What do you mean we're not allowed to _accompany you _upon the Red Rum, Jane?" He wondered what part of "none of you are to accompany me upon the Red Rum" she didn't understand, but he kept his mouth shut. He wanted to finish his discussion with the crew, without having his head ripped off.

"Red John is mine." Jane stated. It was probably the most unoriginal thing he could say, but what else would throw off their trails? "I will be killing him and then, saving Lisbon alone." Jane ignored the reactions of Cho, Rigsby and Mashburn, as he knew none of them would probably be too happy with the decision he had made. Instead, he focused his entire attention on Kris. If the brunette lost her temper again, he was absolutely positive that she'd leave the crew. And if she left, Red John would be after her. He shuddered at the mere thought of losing Kris also, especially when they were so close to finding Lisbon.

However…

He had promised the General that he wouldn't hurt Kris or let her kill Red John and he knew he couldn't tell her that; not without sounding sexist, at least. Other crews refused to take women aboard, unless the crew found the woman attractive and could use her for sex. He, on the other hand, had taken in two women, without expecting to obtain sex from either one. Jane knew if he told the crew the truth, they'd jump on him in an instance, which was why he had just decided to keep them all away from the bloodshed.

"You're an idiot!" Kris spat. Jane disagreed with her; he was doing this to keep her safe, whether she knew it or not. "You go on and on about us being in this together and then you order us to stay here? You're a hypocrite, Jane." Jane's hand went for his sword, as Kris's sword pointed at his chest. "If you try that, I will kill you." He kept his eyes on her, as he motioned for them both to retake their seats at the table. She refused with the shake of her head. "Well, I guess since you're doing this alone; you don't need me here. See you around, Jane." Kris left, before Jane could say anything else to her and he stared at her spot in amazement. He had known that she was going to leave, as Kris often reminded him of a rattlesnake: beautiful, deadly and somewhat unpredictable.

"You really know how to keep company, don't you?" Mashburn asked and Jane glanced at him; the pirate looked completely calm, compared to the other two pirates at the table. "I don't envy you right now, Patrick. Kristina looked ready to kill you on the spot." Jane rolled his eyes. Kris always looked ready to kill him, upset or not. He had just always considered it to be apart of her charm. Mashburn continued on, interrupting his thoughts. "I don't care if I go or not, but I'm sure Cho and Rigsby do."

Jane glanced at Rigsby and Cho, who had their eyes focused on him. He wondered how he was going to get out of that one with them?

"None of us are going to listen to that." Cho retorted, though Jane had been prepared for that. His crew had always done the exact opposite of his orders, which made him wonder if he had somehow taught them all that particular skill. "We're going, Jane. Whether you like it or not." Rigsby nodded in agreement and Jane stifled his sigh; he'd have to find some other way to keep them aboard the ship.

"Lisbon is our friend also, in case you've forgotten." Rigsby said. Jane shook his head; it was doubtful that he would forget something like that, considering he had never forgotten anything. "You go, we follow." Jane rolled his eyes and ignored them both; after all, what did either officer know that he didn't already?

"I think you all forget that I'm your Captain." Jane reminded them, lightly. He doubted that they had forgotten, especially with all of his reminders, but he was the Captain and he _did _still deserve their respect—whether they agreed with his decision or not.

"We remember, we just choose to forget." Cho answered, before he stood from the table also. Jane glanced up at him from his seat with a frown. "You leave us here; I'll be gone by the time you get back." Cho left the room, before Jane could form a retort. With a soft sigh, he glanced between Rigsby and Mashburn. Rigsby had his hands clenched, while Mashburn continued to smile.

Jane shook his head. How stupid did his crew think he was? If they left him, where would they even go? Rigsby and Cho had given everything up to join his crew and Governor Bertram. Lisbon had no friends or family, aside from the individuals upon the Scarlet Oasis. And Kris had only General Bosco and his family to take her in, though he doubted that she would go to them due to her pride.

He knew he couldn't stop them from joining him. Cho was right. If he did, the entire crew would probably walk. However, it didn't mean that he couldn't try and persuade them from going onto the Red Rum. He just wanted to make sure that none of them could become Red John's captives, as Lisbon had given him enough of a wake up call to the concept that _any _of them could become prisoner to Red John.

Jane dismissed Mashburn and Rigsby with the wave of his hand, as he slumped down further into his seat. Could nothing go right between him and his crew? He knew that they hated him for his behaviors, but none of them could challenge him for his spot—"_The only way you should be able to step down from being the Captain_," Lisbon had said, years ago, _"is if you leave yourself or if the majority of the officers upon the crew deem you as mentally unsound."_—and none of the officers had specifically questioned his mental health yet, but he knew it was coming.

Mashburn left with a flourish, but Rigsby didn't move and Jane frowned. "I dismissed you, Rigsby. You're free to do whatever you do on this ship." He valued each person and their position on his crew, but with the minor headache forming between his eyes; he didn't want to mollycoddle anyone.

"How oblivious are you, Jane?" Rigsby questioned, after a moment of silence. Jane stared at Rigsby, his head tilted slightly in confusion. What was the man on about _now_? "Lisbon is our _friend_ and you expect us all just to sit by and wait for you to rescue her?" His brows furrowed. What was so wrong with that?

"I don't expect you to sit, Rigsby." Jane commented, lightly. "I expect you to defend our ship; Red John might see fit to capture it and…"

"He won't." Rigsby answered. Jane knew he wouldn't either. Red John had done many things, but he wasn't someone who stole inanimate objects. "We're not the babysitters of the ship, Jane. We're your _officers_; you know, the people who are actually supposed to make decisions together."

"And this is exactly why I need you to stay here; none of you are thinking clearly." Jane said. Rigsby slowly stood from his chair to glare down at Jane.

"_We're _not thinking clearly?" Rigsby questioned. "You're the one who can't make up your mind." Jane continued to furrow his brows. What in the world did _that _mean? Rigsby huffed, as he brought his arms against his chest. "Don't play stupid, Jane. You know exactly what I mean!" No, he didn't. Rigsby was rambling again and he couldn't make heads or tails out of whatever was being said. Was Rigsby mad at him? Or was Rigsby just spouting random theories? Jane had no idea. "You know exactly how you feel when it comes to Red John, but when it comes to your previous and current first mate, you can't decide which one to have as your plaything."

Jane narrowed his eyes, as he moved his lips into a fierce scowl. "You shouldn't be speaking ill of Lisbon, Rigsby. She _is _your _friend_, after all."

"I'm speaking ill of Lisbon?" Rigsby sounded as if he were about to have a fit, with his eyes wide and fists clenched. Jane doubted the pirate would swing, but he had his sword ready, just in case. "I saw how you looked at Kris when she came out in that dress: wide eyes, dropped jaw, tense shoulders, ready to rip Mashburn a new one for speaking to her." It was in his honor as Captain though to defend his first mate from the sexual clutches of Walter Mashburn. "Yet, when Lisbon was being procured by Mashburn; you ignored it. What's the difference? Is one a better lay than the other?"

Jane jumped up from his chair. "What in the hell are you implying, Rigsby?" Rigsby couldn't have known about his and Kris's night together, could he have? Jane had banned everybody from the area and if he found out that the man had disobeyed his orders again, he'd flog the man alive.

"I know what you did to Lisbon, Jane." Rigsby spat and Jane blinked. He had been somewhat horrible to her, but that didn't give Rigsby the right to rip his head off. "Cho and I know; we just haven't told Kris yet, because we're trying to find Lisbon. If she found this piece of information, she would think that you had a hand in the kidnapping and she'd never look at you the way you wanted her too." Jane had no idea what the younger pirate was going on and on about, yet the idea that _he _would have something to do with Lisbon's kidnapping filled him with rage. "I may speak ill of Lisbon, but you should look at yourself before lecturing me on my behavior."

"You didn't tell me about O'Laughlin," Jane fired back, "why should I trust you? You could be behind her kidnapping."

"You cocky bastard." Before Jane could move, Rigsby's fist collided with his face and he cried out in pain. Through his blurry vision, Rigsby recrossed his arms against his chest and grinned. "I've wanted to do that for months, but Kris always got to you first." Jane continued to scowl, as he held his unbleeding nose. He had to begrudgingly admit, however, that Kris usually hit him first. Not that it was well deserved, of course. "I hope you know you don't deserve either first mate. Lisbon did everything for you and you treated her poorly; you continued to belittle her _after _O'Laughlin betrayed us all. You didn't even want to take her to the healer after she had been shot, until Cho had steered the ship that way. And you can sit here and tell me that _I _could be behind her kidnapping?" Rigsby threw back his head and laughed. "You're full of shit, Jane. If I had been Lisbon, I would have left you years ago. If I had been Kris, I would have left the moment Lisbon went missing."

Jane scowled. "You better watch yourself."

"Is that all you can say, _Captain_?" Rigsby mocked him. Jane threw his unoccupied fist to the table, the noise loud between them both. "You seem to care more about yourself and what is going on in your pants, than you do about us or your first mates." Jane scoffed. He cared about them all, which was why he wasn't letting them off the ship. Of course, they just thought he was being an idiot. "If it weren't for Lisbon, I wouldn't be here right now. And honestly, if you don't find her alive, we're all leaving."

Jane scoffed again. As if they'd leave him.

"And where would you all go?" Jane questioned, bitterly. "To jail for deserting the military?"

Rigsby's fist hit the table. "You continue to tell these tales to make yourself feel better, don't you?"

Jane shook his head. "I know the truth."

"You know nothing." Rigsby replied. "You think you know us, because we're _easy _to you. You think you can con us into staying, but without Lisbon; we're nothing. You're not the Captain, _she is_." Jane's hand went for his sword and Rigsby scoffed. "You pull that on me, and I'm gone. Lisbon or not, I'm not staying around to watch you lose your mind."

He knew it was going to be said, he just didn't know _Rigsby _would have been the one to question his mental health.

"I am perfectly sane."

"You're really full of it, aren't you?" Rigsby asked and Jane sneered. "If we leave, you have _nothing_. We'll form our own crew, exile you, and find Lisbon alone. She's worth more than what you're worth to us right now." Rigsby turned on his heels, when Jane called out to him.

"Don't worry about quitting, Rigsby." Jane threw, out of anger. He didn't exactly want to say this, but they all needed to know that they had crossed an _extremely _fine line. "You're all off my crew, anyway." Rigsby said nothing, as he slammed the door behind him and left Jane by himself.

Alone, Jane stormed over to his desk and rested his hand on one of the knobs, before he decided against opening the drawers. Things weren't _that _bad and it wasn't as if Rigsby had known what he was talking about. Kris and Lisbon weren't playthings, like the pirate had suggested, they were friends.

Friends, who he may or may not have been attracted to.

Jane pounded his fist against the top of his desk. He had only wanted to save Lisbon. He had only wanted to protect Kris. How had he managed to turn the entire crew against him? He hadn't done anything to Lisbon.

Sure, he hadn't taken her to the healer…but it wasn't because he felt she needed to be punished for allowing O'Laughlin on the ship; it was because he felt that she was stronger than medicine. Rigsby and Cho had known nothing about Lisbon's hatred for healers, yet they had forced the unconscious first mate to be seen by one. Jane had never told her about it, mainly because he knew what her reaction would have been.

And as for O'Laughlin, Jane couldn't wait to wrap his hand around the bastard's throat. Craig O'Laughlin was going to suffer, much like Red John was and Jane couldn't wait. Both pirates had caused more than enough problems for him and his crew; that they deserved to both rot in hell.

With a sigh, he collapsed into his desk chair and gave into his thoughts on Kris.

Kris would be furious with him again, after Rigsby informed her that Jane had kicked _everyone _off the crew. He wanted to live to save Lisbon, but Kris's temper made it almost impossible. Jane had to worry not about her and himself, but how she would go off on the entire crew also and it scared him.

There was also the fact that once Lisbon found out how he had supposedly been treating everyone, she'd kill him without even batting an eye. Lisbon had once warned him about his temper with the crew, but he hadn't listened to her then. As usual, he had ignored her and had sent away to do whatever job she hadn't finished.

If the previous first mate hadn't been sent away, maybe things would have been different between them all.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Sometimes, he wished that Kris had never stepped onto their ship. She was a beautiful young woman, who tempted him with her body and mind—he had never wanted a woman more, with the exception of Lisbon.

Jane frowned. Was that what Rigsby had meant by plaything? He scowled again. He had never treated _any _of his first mates like garbage. All of them were fed, all of them were kept safe, and he had never done anything (besides once) to hurt them.

Yet, everybody kept insisting that he had somehow hurt Lisbon.

Yes, he had forced himself onto Kris.

No, he hadn't been drinking.

Yes, he had feelings for her…and those feelings weren't something he could describe.

His mind told him that he shouldn't feel anything for her, as she wasn't Angela.

His heart though, told him that he should move on.

On the other hand, he also somehow had feelings for Lisbon.

His mind wanted her; she had been his best friend, his sailing partner, and the woman of his dreams.

His heart though, told him that he couldn't have her; that he wasn't good enough for her.

And to be honest, he wasn't good enough for either one of them.

He had belittled them both.

He had taken them both to places that he should never have.

And above all else, he had taken advantage of them.

Jane wondered why they even still remained. Was it because they too cared about him? Or was it because they thought they could save him from himself? Lisbon was a good person, who cared more about him than she should have. Kris was a good person also, who tried to see the best in everyone…even when they didn't deserve a second or third chance.

His hand went back to the drawer.

He wasn't Captain material; he had never listened to his first mates, he had only been chasing unfaced demons for years, and he was unhinged. If Lisbon was dead, which he hoped she wasn't, he knew he would completely lose it and they would need a new Captain. Cho would be his first choice. Kris would be his next.

_Either way though_, Jane thought, _if she dies…I might as well die too. For this is my entire fault. _

* * *

><p>"You're an idiot." Kris greeted him, after he had found her atop the helm. Jane hadn't been able to sleep, due to the thoughts that kept plaguing his mind. It was nighttime and almost everyone on the ship (besides himself and Kris, apparently) had disappeared for a good night's rest. He hadn't meant to stumble upon the first mate, but his feet had carried him to the helm; the only other place on the ship that calmed his weary mind.<p>

And there, against one of the railings, he had spotted her in the moonlight. He remained quiet, as he stood next to her and viewed out onto the dark ocean. It was one of the best things about being a pirate; the views were breathtaking and until five months ago, he had always had someone to watch the scenery with him. But that was in the past and he knew, nothing could ever stay the same.

"I know," was all Jane could say. He had fired his entire crew, gotten Lisbon kidnapped, and had dragged everybody else into his mess; it wasn't often that he blamed himself, but in the journey, he had learned that someone had to take responsibility for the various messes aboard. If Red John had kidnapped Kris, he would have blamed Lisbon. Lisbon would have never called him on it, as the previous first mate had learned that silence was the appropriate answer to all of his accusations. Kris, though, had never allowed for him to blame anybody, but himself.

"You fire the entire crew, as we're going to find Lisbon?" Kris asked him, her voice cut through his thoughts and he nodded. "Do you know how many men it takes to move this thing? You go off alone, you're not getting anywhere." Jane still believed that he could take on the Red Rum by himself, but he realized that he _did _need a crew. It had only taken him about five hours after the fight with Rigsby to realize that one. "I don't know why you're keeping us here, but I sure as hell know it's not because you're afraid we'll die."

Kris was too smart for her own good.

"You're right." Jane admitted to her. Lying to the first mate had never been a good idea, considering that honesty _was _the best thing for all of them. However, he hated being honest with anybody. If he was the only one to know the truth, in his opinion, nobody else except himself could get hurt. Kris didn't turn her head to stare at him, although she had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "It's not because I'm afraid you'll die, Kris. It's because I know you'll die."

"Thanks for the confidence, Jane." Kris threw and Jane sighed. He had been studying Red John's methods for over eight years and he knew what the Captain of the Red Rum did to females, who refused to bow down to him. Red John allowed for the members of his crew to brutally torture, rape and kill women, who did not submit to their _beloved _Captain. Kris would never submit herself to him or his twisted ideas of enlightenment, as she was too stubborn to turn against her morals.

Even though he knew all of that about Red John, he still continued to hope for the best with Lisbon. Red John would have seen Lisbon as an important member of the Scarlet Oasis, as she had been the only woman that he had stuck by for nine years. Sure, he had random one-night stands with various women—but at the end of the night, he always returned back to Lisbon.

Lisbon knew almost everything about the ship; the weaknesses of the crew, the weakness of the ship, the fears of everyone, how much money they had, and how exactly to hurt them all the most. If Red John managed to get under her skin, they would all be in trouble. But he doubted that Lisbon would give into Red John's twisted idea of enlightenment, as her morals had higher standards than most of the individuals on his crew had.

"Before you pull your sword out and threaten me again," Jane tried to ward off her anger, just in case the first mate felt the need to hit him too, "you need to understand that after Lisbon, you're the second most important member of this ship. If you somehow get captured by Red John, while in battle, he'll try and make you talk…"

"If you think I'm going to betray everyone, Jane." Kris interrupted with her eyes still trained on the ocean. "You've lost your mind. In case you've forgotten; this is my home too and I'll be damned to let you keep me from protecting it."

Jane huffed. Did she not understand? He was trying to get a point across, but the woman was so focused on the fact that he apparently thought that she would spill the secrets of the crew, that she hadn't allowed for him to finish his sentence.

"Kris, can you let me finish my sentence?" Kris nodded in permission and he continued on. "Yes, this is your home. I've never said it wasn't. I'm just saying that if he makes you talk; he'll kill you and I don't know what I'll do." Kris turned her head slightly to stare at him, she had her head tilted in confusion and he huffed again. Was the woman absolutely clueless to what he was trying to hint at? "Damn it, Kris. Don't make me say it out loud."

"Say what out loud?" Kris questioned and Jane scowled. He hated when women overcomplicated things, especially on his own crew. "Don't make that face at me, Jane. I'm confused and you better start talking or I walk away." Jane fell silent for a moment and Kris turned on her heels. "I warned you." She took two steps forward when he grabbed onto her upper arm and pulled her back to him; her hazel eyes stared up at him in shock, as he pressed his lips against hers.

Jane took advantage of her complete surprise, as he slipped his tongue in-between her parted lips and devoured her mouth. She tasted of rainwater and vanilla, which had been completely different than the tart lemon that she had tasted of months ago. Her skin still felt soft under his touch while he stroked her face, gently.

Rigsby's conversation earlier had given him much to think about, mainly involving his two first mates; Lisbon and Kris.

He realized, hours after the initial conversation, that he and Lisbon had always had a possible attraction to each other; the crew had apparently seen it, which meant that O'Laughlin had also seen it and had probably tried to use it against her. Thinking about it, he had realized that he had never acted on his attraction to the beautiful Teresa Lisbon, because their friendship had been so much more important than anything else.

He felt Kris's moist lips move against his own and he relaxed his hold on her, as he shifted his thoughts from one first mate to the other.

His attraction to Kris hadn't been from the very start. Jane had distrusted and had disliked Kris from the moment that she had stepped onto their ship; O'Laughlin had just betrayed them and Lisbon had been the one to bring her onboard. Lisbon, who had also brought O'Laughlin aboard the year before, saying that he would be an excellent addition to their little crew.

Jane had always trusted Lisbon, but the betrayal of O'Laughlin had dissolved the trust between them briefly. After all, O'Laughlin (and Lisbon, by association) had managed to hurt the entire crew. He hadn't cared for a while that the first mate was probably hurting also, as he had been so focused on his own troubles that everybody else's just seemed less important than his own.

Kris had always been abrasive; it was the one word that he had to describe the current first mate. She had never lied to him and she had always called him out on his bullshit, unlike Lisbon, who had stopped trying after O'Laughlin had left them all.

Jane allowed for Kris's tongue to slip between his own lips, as he continued to think.

If it hadn't been for Cho's humanity, the infection would have killed Lisbon and he wouldn't have _ever _found himself being attracted to Kris.

She eventually ripped herself from his hold, after a few more moments of silence and moonlight kissing. Jane said nothing, as he waited for her to slam her fist against his face or draw her sword to make him regret everything.

But it never came.

In fact, Kris stared at him in mute surprise; wide eyes and a trembling lip to match.

"Do you understand now, Kristina?" Jane questioned her. He knew she hated the full use of her first name, but it communicated just how serious he truly was being. Kris needed to understand the newly found second reason for why she couldn't cross the threshold to the Red Rum.

"How long?" Kris asked, her voice in a whisper.

Jane shrugged. Did it really matter that he had apparently been in love with her for weeks? Or that their entire bedroom mishap hadn't _actually _been a mistake in his mind, but something that he had been wanting since shortly after Lisbon had been kidnapped and Kris had jumped on him about Jubilee Island? "It's probably best you don't know, Kris."

He waited for her to demand the answer out of him, but she remained quiet. Jane wished that he could see into her mind again, as her facial expressions confused the hell out of him. Was she angry with him? Upset? Happy? Bent on killing him with her hands? Jane had only wanted to convey his feelings to her, without using his words and although it had probably been a bad idea at the time, she had to understand that actions _always _spoke louder than words.

"What do you expect me to say, Jane?" Kris finally asked. Jane shrugged again. Anything was better than silence. "You've got feelings for both Lisbon and I. You can't have both of us, and I refuse to hurt my best friend _again_." Jane tensed. He had almost forgotten that what they had done months ago would have consequences for everyone, not only themselves but for Lisbon as well. Kris was being the honorable and respectful one, but he didn't care about that. He wanted her, regardless of the consequences (good or bad) that would happen to them both. "I'm not Lisbon. I'm also not one for being your second choice." Jane furrowed his brows. Second choice? Where had she gotten that idea from? Kris's bitter laughter filled his ears, "moments ago, you just told me that I'm the _second most important person _on this crew. Obviously, Lisbon comes first in your heart."

"When we find Lisbon, she's not going to want me." Jane stated, softly and that realization killed him inside. Hope wasn't something he wanted to lose with Lisbon, but five months away, he knew, could change everything between them both. "She'll probably not know what she wants for a while, Kris. While I know exactly what I want right now." He brushed his fingers down the side of her face again, only for her to step back in surprise. "My decision won't change in twenty-four hours or three weeks or six months from now. You're the one that I want." Jane inched his lips towards hers again, only for her to pull back and shake her head in response. He frowned. She had reacted the first time to his advances, why hadn't she wanted him then?

"We both know this isn't right." Kris replied, softly. "Lisbon is my best friend…"

"…who would understand." Jane interrupted her. Lisbon had to know that things happened, didn't she? He and Kris had spent almost every waking moment together for the past five months and if they weren't attracted to one another by the end of all that, something was horribly wrong with them both. "She always went on and on about us getting along together."

"Somehow," Kris stated with the shake of her head, "I don't think this is what she had in mind by _us _getting together." Kris had a valid point, but Lisbon probably didn't like him anyway. Lisbon had been the one to turn down most of his flirty advances and if she couldn't see herself in a relationship with him, he knew he was better off with Kris. "You don't know what you want, Jane."

"Yes, I do."

Kris scoffed. "If you knew what you wanted, you would wait until _after _we found Lisbon to make this decision. You're asking me now, just so you have someone to fall back on when nothing goes your way." Jane said nothing. "Jane, if you really want me. You'll wait. You'll ask this question later, when we're not preparing for battle upon the Red Rum."

And he would wait, he decided, until after Red John was dead and they knew Lisbon's fate to ask her again.


	17. Chapter 17

**Title: **Chasing the Storm

Thanks to **Loes-chan**, **Little-Firestar84**, and **Frogster **for the reviews of C16. Much appreciation goes out to you three, who have continued to trust me and who have continued to follow this story, even though it's not exactly _happy_.

After months and months of writing and planning, this story is officially complete tonight. I don't exactly know what to say, because I never thought I'd be changing the status of this story from in-progress to complete. From this story, I managed to find a really good friend and I can't say thank you enough for all that loveconquersallxxx has done for me and for this story. So, really…it's befitting that this entire story be dedicated to her.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the last chapter! (And don't worry! There _will _be a sequel!)

* * *

><p>In a huff, Kris had her arms crossed against her chest, while she glanced out onto the lower desks and watched the crew work themselves into a mad frenzy. Next to her, Cho and Rigsby discussed what had to be done before they all entered into battle with the Red Rum and she turned to both of them; they were leaned over various documents that held information on battle strategy. Her idea of battle strategy had always been just to run a sword through a man's chest, but she doubted that telling either of them that would be too helpful in the long run though.<p>

"He's an idiot if he thinks any of us are staying here." Kris threw out, as she tapped her foot against the deck. She knew that Mashburn had already agreed to stay on the ship, but of course, he had always been afraid of battle. Despite his crude comments, the man was financially useful to the Scarlet Oasis and even though she found Mashburn to be a vile specimen of a man; deep down, she knew Mashburn truly cared for Lisbon. Sure, he was constantly vulgar to her (and every other female that happened to cross his path), but Mashburn was there to help Lisbon. She knew where his loyalties truly lied and for that reason only she tolerated the man.

"How is that anything new, Kris?" Cho asked, without even glancing up at her. She stared at him in mute surprise, but he was right. Kris shook her head. No matter what Jane wanted them to do; she wasn't going to listen to him. The pirate captain had absolutely no idea of what he was doing or talking about apparently. After all, what was he going to do? Battle the entire Red Rum crew single-handedly? Jane needed their help, even if the man was too stubborn to accept it and honestly, she hadn't been too surprised when Rigsby had announced that they had all been fired. She, however, had only laughed at the man's absurdity; Jane had to know that if he fired them all, they would have no qualms about leaving the ship and they would take Lisbon with them, for good. The four of them: Mashburn, Cho, Rigsby and herself, had all discussed how they would approach Lisbon (if found aboard the Red Rum) about leaving the Scarlet Oasis.

They had all agreed that the woman would be stubborn, but they knew that once she listened to reason and heard the story; they were positive that she would give Jane a piece of her mind, quit and then, they could form their own crew. A crew that would make Lisbon the Captain and Cho the first mate, which in honesty, she wouldn't mind, especially considering that she was over the position.

The first mate title had only brought her scrutiny and had caused more trouble than it was worth. She was good at the job, but after dealing with Jane, she was just tired of having to baby sit someone. Kris knew that once she and the rest of the officers left the Scarlet Oasis, she would be content with a less prominent position upon the new ship. Lisbon would get better and become the Captain, she would have her best friend back and everything could go back to how it was—minus Patrick Jane, of course.

"If I, we, must let him go alone—then, he's going to die." If she, or anyone else on the crew, let Jane die; Lisbon would never forgive them for their inability to protect him from a well-known danger. No matter how furious Lisbon would be once she was told about what was going on, Lisbon valued life. Jane could be infuriating, but she knew that Lisbon would never wish death upon him. Given the fact, the more she thought about the possibility of Lisbon leaving Jane behind; the more she doubted that Lisbon ever would.

It was a nice thought, truly, but Jane and Lisbon had a nine-year friendship that held them together. In fact, the officers of the crew (excluding herself) all had years of a friendship with Jane under their hats. Yes, they had all been adamant about leaving the other night, but when it came down to it; could any of them really leave Jane behind? Could anybody though, no matter how angry they were, throw away years of a friendship? She doubted it. The only who could really leave the crew without a sense of true guilt was her.

She had no real connection to any of them aboard, except Lisbon, and if Lisbon chose to remain upon the Scarlet Oasis; she wasn't entirely too sure if she could support the decision. Kris loved Lisbon like a sister and would always defend her, but if Lisbon just gave into her loyalties toward the idiot of a Captain—again—then she wasn't sure if she could ever look at Lisbon in the same light again. As Cho and Rigsby went back to discussing the Red Rum's rumored weaknesses, she continued to think.

If she were to leave the ship, it would probably alleviate a lot of issues on board; Lisbon had silently admitted, in the past, that she had beyond friendship feelings for the Captain. It had then, become much clearer, when Jane had said the night previous that he too wanted something more from Lisbon, that he had regretted never telling her how he had truly felt. Kris had never wanted to stay in the way of those two having a future together, as she couldn't deny that there was something there between the both of them.

Once they found Lisbon and she was well enough, Kris decided, she would leave them all. If she took herself out of the equation, Jane could have what he had always wanted—Teresa Lisbon. Sure, it would take a while for those two to get back to how they once had been, but with time and patience, she was sure that they could do it.

On the other hand, last night had brought up so many different feelings for the both of them. But, she had to push that aside because the current moment wasn't about how Jane, apparently, had been in _love _with her for weeks. Kris almost wanted to scoff at his random tossing of the word _love_, but she decided against it for Rigsby and Cho would have asked her about it. True, she had been completely clueless to him and his emotions, but that was because her job had been to find Lisbon and return her to the Scarlet Oasis. Her job had never been about falling in love and having a relationship with someone who could barely keep his mouth shut, let alone, know what he truly wanted from anyone.

"_Jane, if you really want me; you'll wait. You'll ask the question later, when we're not preparing for battle upon the Red Rum." _She had told him last night and if she was being completely honest, the sudden attraction he had for her still confused her. Kris had understood when James had admitted his feelings to her, but they had known each other since childhood. She and Jane had only started to truly work together five months ago, out of their need to find and save Lisbon from the Red Rum. Neither of them had been looking forward to working together, but after she had walked away from him, she had figured out how he had suddenly gained all these "feelings" for her. It had been from; the thought still slightly repulsed her, the night that they had gotten together. She thought that they had silently agreed that the night months ago had meant nothing and had been an awful mistake, but apparently, Jane had other ideas about it.

Lisbon and her recovery had always been her main focus, and for many months afterward, it would continue to be that main focus. A relationship with Jane—romantic or elsewise—was the last thing she needed to deal with and she hoped that she could avoid it for a good, long while. Her feelings for him, while there, were arbitrary; they meant absolutely nothing and nothing good would come out of acting upon them. She had let her heart overtake her once before with James and that hadn't turned out too well. No, she had to let her logic win this time, as it would save her from a great deal of heartache in the end.

Cho's stoic voice interrupted her pensive thoughts. "No kidding." Kris threw the navigator a small smile; even in the weirdest of circumstances, Cho knew how to turn the most complicated of situations into something more simplistic. She watched Rigsby look up from the documents with concern written across his face; they had all, also, had a conversation about what had happened between him and Jane. When she had heard that Rigsby had cracked his fist across Jane's face, she had patted the man on the back. Jane was far too thick-headed and stubborn to see where they were all coming from and she had a feeling, he wanted all of the glory for himself, just so his ego could inflate and Lisbon would continue to place all of her misguided loyalty in him.

Despite her own feelings for the man, Jane was _still _an idiot for even thinking that he could just push them all aside and do everything on his own. Didn't he know that was how people got killed in the first place?

Rigsby stepped towards her, the concern still across his face. "You need to relax, Kris. We have a plan. We're going aboard the Red Rum." Her shoulders dropped in momentary relief. "We're _all _going to find Lisbon, with or without Jane's permission." Cho nodded. They had all talked about it and had agreed that, even if Jane protested (or tried to have them thrown in the brig), that they would be stepping upon the Red Rum to save their best friend (and to protect the Captain's ass).

She let out the breath that she had been holding. "Fine." She turned on her heels, before she threw her head back over her shoulder to address Rigsby and Cho. "I'm going to inform our resident child that he should start preparing for battle." Kris stomped off toward Jane's quarters and shook her head again; her heavy sarcasm, helping them all or not, was because she was highly anxious. Sarcasm had always been her natural defense mechanism, much like Jane's stupidity had probably always been his. Without even knocking, she breached through the doors to Jane's quarters; she never knocked and sure enough, the man sat at his desk, sulking, as per usual.

Kris interrupted his thoughts. "We're all ready to go. What about you?" She watched him lift his head from his hands; he tried to stare her down. Kris continued on with her line of rhetorical questioning. "Or would you rather stay here and hide while we fight the enemy? It's up to you, really." She crossed her arms against her chest and waited for him to do something. Jane stood up from his desk and stepped around the cluttered object, before he stood face-to-face with her. Kris had always wondered why the man had a desk, especially when the pirate seemed to enjoy his bed more…but the question held absolutely no importance to their task at hand and she tucked it away for later.

He didn't blink or look away, much to her annoyance.

She felt a smirk spread across her face. "You're not going to try and kiss me into compliance again, are you?" Jane stepped back from her, his eyes widened at the statement and she rolled her eyes. The man had always been good at faking shock and she wasn't about to let herself buy into his act, like Lisbon had probably done time after time. Kris had let his advances take control over her once already and she wouldn't let that happen again; no matter how much he may have wanted that, then and there. The comment, in her mind, was completely justified. Apparently, Jane's mind figured that if he kissed her, she would just fall to her knees in submission.

She had to show him, no matter what he thought he wanted, that they were all solid in their decisions to go aboard the Red Rum and that no amount of pointless seduction was going to stop any of them from doing so.

"You, Cho, and Rigsby are staying here. I haven't changed my decision from yesterday, Kris." Jane replied and she shook her head. She wasn't staying on the ship. Lisbon needed them and the more that she and Jane argued about who was staying and who was going, the less time they all had to formulate a plan to save her. Kris briefly considered telling him that while they were having this _lovely _conversation, the Red Rum could be killing Lisbon in preparation for the battle. She ultimately decided against it though, as this was not the time or place to have that argument.

_Does he know all that he could face aboard the Red Rum? _She silently asked herself. He wouldn't just be fighting O'Laughlin and Red John to their deaths, he would also be facing something he had probably never considered possible: Lisbon's death. It was why she had refused to let him step onto the ship by himself. Even if O'Laughlin and Red John had been killed and they had also found Lisbon's dead body, the Red Rum would have what they had always wanted—the elimination of the Scarlet Oasis and its crew.

If the Scarlet Oasis had studied the Red Rum, the Red Rum had studied them in return. The Red Rum knew that Lisbon kept their crew together and if she were to die at the hands of the bastard Red John, no one, especially Jane, would recover from it.

"As far as I'm concerned," she coolly responded, "you made this decision while drinking yesterday, hence my refusal to listen to your orders." Kris could tell he was getting annoyed with her constant rejection of his orders (and other various advances, which she was sure he was bitter about), but they were a team and Lisbon had been alone when O'Laughlin had kidnapped her; she wasn't _about _to let the same mistake happen twice in less than a year. She also knew that if only Jane were there to welcome the previous first mate back, Lisbon would immediately question the location of the other officers on the crew and Kris wanted to show Lisbon that they were all there for her, even if Jane felt that they shouldn't be.

"Lisbon didn't follow my direct orders." Jane argued, as he raised his voice to her. "Look what happened to her, Kris. You want to follow in her footsteps; you'll die before you have the chance to defend yourself." Kris knew he was angry and frustrated and he probably hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but it didn't mean the comment was warranted. Everybody made mistakes, even the _golden _Captain Patrick Jane.

Sure, Lisbon _had _stepped onto Howl Island without any back up, but it was too late to start blaming her. What was the point of slandering the woman, who probably hadn't even expected to be kidnapped by the Red Rum? Slandering her would only cause a fight between everyone and the division of the crew was the last thing that they needed right now.

"Jane, you're a hypocrite." Kris responded and he glanced at her in surprise. "If we were to follow your orders, you'd be alone, just like her, and you'd end up the same way." She watched him roll his eyes and cross his arms against his chest, but she knew that this was, possibly, the last opportunity that she would have to make a valid point. "We all made the mistake of letting someone go off alone, Jane. I don't think Rigsby, Cho, or I want to take that risk again, do you?" She allowed for him to ponder that point for a moment, before she turned on her heels toward the door; she had absolutely no desire to listen to his response, even though she was positive that he had one. Kris knew he wasn't listening to any of them and at that point, the best thing to do was to walk away.

She heard him start to speak. "Kris…" Kris tossed her head over her shoulder and glared at him. Jane fell silent.

"Do what you want, Jane." Kris told him, as she placed her hand to the doorknob. "In the meantime, I'll be saving _my _best friend and the official Captain of this crew." Her hand turned the doorknob and she made her way back out onto the deck, where Rigsby had gathered the crew around. Kris eyed the pirate strangely and wondered what he was up too; she was hoping that he was going over the battle strategy with the crew and not just having, what she considered to be a "guy's" conversation.

From behind Rigsby, she heard him raise his voice to the crowd; and she silently snickered to herself, because Rigsby addressing a crowd would be the most amusement any of them had witnessed in a while. "First Mate Lisbon has always been a loyal and valued member to this crew. One of the best, if you ask me." Kris stared at the back of Rigsby's head and smiled in surprise. He was better at addressing the crew than she had originally suspected he would have been. "If any of you are still in doubt about fighting for her; keep this in mind: if Craig O'Laughlin," the crew surrounding Rigsby booed and he silenced them with the wave of his hand, "had kidnapped any of us, Lisbon would fight for us." Kris nodded in agreement. If it had been any of them, Lisbon would have stood up to fight, no matter the consequences to her own self.

_Of course_, Kris thought, _Lisbon always put others first, even when the woman shouldn't have. _

She heard Rigsby continue. "…if she doesn't make it out of this, alive, at least she will know that we fought for her and for our crew." Cheers rang out. "And for that, I know she'd be thankful." The crew went silent and Kris wondered if the silence was out of respect for Lisbon or if it was because Jane had left his quarters. She had never been a religious person, due to how she had been raised with her father, but she bowed her head for a brief moment to hope that they'd all survive the battle. After the moment, Kris lifted her head and watched Rigsby turn around to face her and she smiled at him; he did have a good heart, she couldn't deny.

Cho's voice rung in her ear, which surprised her. Where had he come from? "Nice speech." Kris bit back her bubbling laughter. She would have complimented Rigsby on his heartwarming speech, but Cho had already beaten her to the punch. Instead, she just slapped Rigsby on his upper arm in approval and she watched him rub at his arm, before he and Cho climbed the stairs to the helm again.

Kris stepped forward to go and survey the ship; she, basically, had to make sure that everyone had done a proper job of preparing the ship for battle. However, a hand to her shoulder stopped her and she spun around to find herself, again, face-to-face with Jane, who only stared past her; his bluish-green eyes were deep in focus on whatever was occurring behind her. She turned her head, preparing for the worse, only to see the decaying stern of the Red Rum, floating off some unimportant island's shore.

Her eyes widened at the breathtaking sight. The ship, which they were coming upon awfully fast and something she had never once seen before was both impressive and massive. She blinked in awe. _That _was the Red Rum? The Red Rum was apparently poorly kept, from what she could see of it, even if it was only just the stern. Kris saw the patches of thick mold that covered the warped siding, the different types of seaweed that hung off of its edges, and the tattered white—now brown—sails that were caught in the slight breeze from the approaching storm. She laughed to herself; the ship's condition certainly gave a vague, first impression of the people who ran it.

Kris was positive that if the Red Rum was filthy on the outside, the inside and lower decks would be twice as filthy. Other than the dirt and grime that coated the ship, she still couldn't believe how truly massive the ship was. Jane hadn't actually been kidding when he had told her that Red John liked to show off his toys. She turned her head back to stare up at Jane, who still had his attention focused on the enemy ship.

"If _that's _the famed Red Rum, you are definitely not going on there alone." Kris informed him. "You step foot onto that ship and I'm thinking it might just devour you, Red John's or not." She smirked at him and he continued to stare at the ship, which made her weary. Was he thinking of Lisbon's fate? Was he thinking about killing Red John? Or was he thinking about how to keep them all aboard the Scarlet Oasis? She narrowed her eyes; she would let him have his moment, as she owed him _that _much, but if the pirate thought he could chain her to a wall; he had a completely different thing coming to him.

Kris stepped around the frozen captain and stood by his side with her arms crossed against her chest, as she tilted her head to stare up at the, now, paralyzed Jane. She couldn't help but be amused by his reaction; it was the first time in months, after all, that he wasn't talking endlessly about nothing and while the silence was nice, she felt herself needing his voice. Quickly, she walked away from him and headed back up to the helm to speak with Cho.

"Jane is having a moment?" Kris eyed the navigator strangely, as she snorted. She continued to stare at him and she shook her head in agreement, despite the failed attempts to silence her own laughter.

"Rigsby knows when to set off the cannons, right?" She finally asked, after she had calmed down enough from Cho's question. Cho nodded his head, when she felt a hand grip onto her shoulder again. She jumped in surprise, as she spun around to meet Jane's eyes again. "Are you okay?" Their focuses were still concentrated on the omniscient ship in the near distance, but the shaking in his hands had her worried. She knew it was a question that hadn't required much of an answer; however, she needed something to calm her nerves. Kris felt his hand move along her shoulder in a gentle message and she smiled; maybe that was his way of telling her that he would be okay, as long as someone was there with him. She tried to smile at his (long-awaited) change of heart, but she found that she couldn't. The idea of their ever possible demises clouded her mind and she tried to think of something else to say to him, besides _are you okay_, but nothing came.

_If we die soon_, she thought with her eyes on the darkening ocean, '_are you okay' will have been the worst choice of last words, ever. _

Eventually, the Scarlet Oasis and the Red Rum floated next to each other. The loud sound of gunfire into the air had Cho shouting the order to fire all of the cannons out towards the enemy ship, which both pleased her and gave her a sense of ultimate satisfaction.

While the cannons continued to blast—hit, miss, hit, miss—she observed the Red Rum's style of fighting. Or in this case, as the hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting hadn't started yet. How the Red Rum dealt with their cannons and cannon fire. Kris had noticed that no one lingered upon the Red Rum's deck with an inquisitive glance.

"They're cowards." Jane informed her, over the loud cannon fire and she glanced at him, even as the boat continued to jolt from the impacts. "Red John has taught them how to hide, until one of us comes aboard their ship and tries to go after their beloved Captain." As the cannons continued to fire, she tried to keep herself and Jane safe; and she noticed that the Red Rum's aim was scattered. In fact, it seemed, they had no aim at all. They just fired at anything and everything that moved. Their shots were completely unpredictable and they had no set pattern to them, which was why everybody on the Scarlet Oasis was drenched with ocean water. Through the sound and haze of deafening cannon fire, she wondered who was in charge of battle strategy upon the Red Rum.

It had to be someone with little to no experience, especially if they were ordering the men to shoot at everything and anything.

Without another word, she scurried down onto the main deck and found that someone had already connected the two ships via a single board. Kris threw her head backwards and prepared her own self for the hand-to-hand combat, when she briefly glanced up toward the main mast of the ship and noticed a slight crack in the wood.

_One of their cannonballs must have hit us_, she thought with a wince. Kris hoped that the damage would be easily fixable, unless it got worse within the next few hours or so. With a quick look around, she decided to hurry toward the board, which if she wasn't quick-footed enough could break at any given moment. Her eyes darted around the ship in hopes that she would find Jane, but she couldn't spot him and she groaned, silently.

_That asshole better not have taken off without me_, she thought with a scowl. Kris cleared her mind and prepared her body for the step upon the board, when she felt a pair of eyes burning into her back. Just in case, she unsheathed her sword and turned to find Jane behind her again and she rolled her eyes.

"Jane!" Kris exclaimed, placing her sword away. "Enough with the ghost act." He only stared at her, before she pulled herself up onto the board and looked back at him briefly. "Are you coming or not?" She waved her hand at him, urging him to hurry up and join her, but he refused to move and she groaned. If the man was going to be stubborn about joining her aboard the Red Rum (especially after he had pitched a fit about her going aboard the ship), she'd just go on her own; Lisbon needed her, with or without Jane.

Quickly, she hurried across the board and found herself on the Red Rum; the loud cannons still rocked the waters around them, making everything sway back and forth uncontrollably. Kris had thought that she would have lost her footing on the board, if it hadn't been for Jane's guiding touch. Kris unsheathed her sword again and held it out in front of her, as she took the brief moment to gaze around the ghost ship.

Blood stained the decrepit planks beneath her feet; Red John had probably used the main deck of his ship to punish his crew members. Kris tried to quench the thought that Red John had brought Lisbon up to that very spot, and the Red Rum captain had executed the woman in front of his crew for sport. She shook her head and continued to glance around the ship; the Captain Quarters weren't atop the deck and the steps leading down to the cowardly crew were near the stern.

Kris didn't wait for Jane's orders and she continued toward the staircase, her eyes narrowed and sword ready to go, when the sound of two pieces of metal clashing behind her caught her attention. She briefly turned to find Rigsby (who had apparently followed after them) engaged in a sword fight with a member of the Red Rum, who looked ready to kill them all. She wanted to help him, but the feeling of Jane's hand against her back stopped her and they continued down into the hold.

The belly of the ship, if it were even possible, seemed more disgusting than the outside had. Blood stained the floor beneath their feet and she found herself wondering why the Red Rum didn't have designated killing areas, when she heard a slight sound to the right of them and her sword ripped through the person before her.

The pirate (a member of the Red Rum, due to his all black attire) collapsed to the floor, the wound from his abdomen bled profusely. From behind her, Jane had also engaged his self into sword fight, if the loud sounds were anything to go by. Kris spun on her heels to help him out, when the blade of a sword nearly sank into her shoulder and she twisted her body away from the offending object; nobody was going to kill her or Jane.

Somebody hit the floor behind her with a loud thud, before the person she had been fighting collapsed to the ground.

"Go." Cho called out to her, as the navigator fought against a few Red Rum pirates and she turned to find Jane, whose clothes had been splattered with blood. Without a word to each other, they continued on.

Kris brushed the blood soaked blade of her sword against her own shorts, as she and Jane managed to step through the desecrated crew quarters of the Red Rum; the room held a lingering stench of death, decay and stale urine. They said nothing, as they continued to search the area for wherever the Red Rum had hidden Lisbon.

"Where do you think she is?" Kris asked in a whisper. Jane said nothing and motioned for her to follow him, as he worked his way along the row of doors that lined the side of the room. He halted her with his hand at the third to last door and she drew in a deep breath. Would they find Lisbon? The door slowly opened, only for the both of them to jump back in surprise at the loud animal sounds from inside.

Kris blinked. Had the Red Rum turned Lisbon into some type of animal? She heard Jane chuckle softly and she narrowed her eyes.

"It's only a bunch of goats, Kris." Jane informed her. "I don't think Red John has found a way to turn them into serial killers…yet." Kris rolled her eyes. They were in a life and death situation and he was making jokes about _goats_? What was he? A goat farmer? "Lisbon is not in there."

"No, really?" Kris questioned, dryly while they moved toward the next door. "I thought Red John was training those goats to protect Lisbon." Jane chuckled again.

"Your sarcasm amuses me." Jane told her, as he opened the next door; the room held nothing but a flight of steps, but somehow, Kris knew that they had found the brig. "This is it."

"Who keeps goats next to their prisoners?" Kris muttered under her breath and Jane said nothing again, as he led them both down the candlelit flight of steps.

When the steps finally bled away to a level floor, she and Jane glanced around the large room; six cells faced them, iron bars glinted from four of the six cells and Kris felt a chill dance down her spine at the disconcerting silence. Jane started to step forward, when she grabbed onto his shoulder.

"Wait." Kris interrupted his movements. Jane turned his head over his shoulder to glance at her in confusion. "Don't you find this a bit suspicious?" Jane furrowed his brows and Kris sighed. "The door to the brig was unlocked, there aren't any guards around, the stairs were well-lit and we're not standing in complete darkness." Jane said nothing and Kris continued on. "Clearly, Red John wants us to find something."

Jane shrugged her touch off. "He's a showman, Kris." The man turned his head to face the cell doors and she was sure that he was rolling his eyes at her, especially as he stepped toward the first cell. Kris tried to calm the apprehension building within the pit of her stomach. Her eyes focused on him, as he motioned for her to join him.

She followed behind him, only to find a storage locker, which had been placed between the first cell and the second cell. Kris refused to look in the first cell, as she focused all of her attention on the locker; the metal locker was tall and dark blue, covered in various spider webs, bloodstains, and other unrecognizable elements. Jane's hand went for the rusted handle; it had always been a tradition for the other ship to shift through the opposite crews' belongings, even if she thought that they had more important things to be doing. The locker held no lock, but the door had been rusted shut, which made her wonder if the Red Rum had intended for them to stay away from the locker.

_What are they trying to hide_? She wondered, quietly; as she watched Jane pry open the locker with his brute strength. The rusted door gave way with a groan, before two giant rats scurried out from within the locker. Kris stepped back in surprise and covered her mouth at the sight. The locker had one top shelf and a big open bottom half; it almost looked like an incomplete bookshelf, only someone had forgotten to put in the last two tiers. A stench that was both foul and rotten hung in the air and she turned her head away to be saved from the stench; how had Lisbon been able to survive with the smell of feces and urine in the air? The very idea of it made her stomach queasy, until she forced her eyes to the top shelf of the storage locker and found the source of the stench.

It was a head, a human head. Kris's stomach rolled, although she managed to keep herself from vomiting all over herself and Jane. The human head was of an older woman with short, jet-black hair, and small lips, who had been decapitated with a sword. The rats that had scurried away from within the locker had apparently gnawed at the woman's ears, eyes, nose, and her jaw line, because the head had been stored away for, at least, a few weeks. How could _anybody _do such a thing? Pirates or not, the idea of a beheading still made her weary.

The head was tossed onto its side and she jumped, her heartbeat pounding in her chest. Human heads couldn't move after a decapitation, could they? With a quick glance, she noticed that a third rat had found the head and had started nibbling at the base of it. However, the blood had turned into a sticky residue that had attached itself to the metal wall of the locker. When the head had been fresh, Kris noticed, blood had dripped from the top shelf and onto the bottom of the locker, where it had dried. She heard Jane's voice in her ear and she diverted her eyes to focus solely on him; his mouth was moving, inaudibly and he looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Jane…" Kris trailed off, as she put her hand to his forearm. Jane didn't look at her.

She only heard him say one thing: "Rebecca." Kris eyed him in silent surprise and spoke out.

"That's Rebecca?" Kris asked and Jane nodded. "The woman who disappeared?" Jane nodded again and she was horrified. She ultimately knew, Jane would feel responsible for the death of another lost crew member. She could only imagine the images that plagued his mind, as they both stood there and without another word, she turned on her heels away from the locker and stepped into the cell.

She needed to get away from the death. She needed to calm herself down. She stepped forward, when her booted foot tripped on something.

_It's a broom_, she tried to tell herself—but she knew differently. Why would the Red Rum, a dirty ship, have cleaning supplies in _their brig_? Unless Red John was punishing the cleaning supplies for not doing a good enough job, she doubted that her foot had caught on the handle of anything. Her heart fell into her stomach, before she heard Jane's voice.

"Kris, are you alright?" She said nothing and Jane hurried into the room, only for her to point at whatever she had lost her footing on. Kris heard Jane draw in a deep breath and her eyes went straight to the sight: it was Rebecca's headless body and she had tripped over the woman's leg.

She trembled at the sight of cruel death before her.

Red John had not left his usual signature on the wall above her body, but he had decorated her back with his grotesque smile. Red John had torn open the brown (now, stained red) dress that Rebecca had been wearing and had carved his signature into her back; the smiley face wound was deep and wide and for how deep the signature had been, she wondered why Red John hadn't bothered to just skin the body.

The wound looked infected; a brown and white coating outlined the edges of the signature. It was repulsive to her stomach and she was positive that Rebecca had been used as an example to Red John's crew of what happens when his teachings were ignored. Kris would never know what Rebecca had done, but she suspected that the woman had probably given General Bosco the coordinates to the Red Rum's location. She inhaled. If Red John had figured out that Bosco had been the one to tell them where they were, Kris feared for his life with a good reason.

Kris hadn't ever known Rebecca personally and had only heard of her the night Lisbon had gotten kidnapped. The idea, however, that if the crew had done this to Rebecca; she didn't want to imagine the sight that she'd see when (or if) they found Lisbon. She left the cell and crossed her arms around herself. How could anybody do something like that? They were pirates, known for their brutal ways, but the Red Rum pirates had taken the definition of _pirates _to the next level. Even if Rebecca had told General Bosco, she hadn't deserved to be decapitated.

"Breathe, Kris." Jane murmured into her ear, after a few minutes of silence. Kris tried to repel the image of Rebecca from her mind, but she couldn't. Rebecca had been human and her life had been taken; death via decapitation was a violent act and Kris found herself hoping that Rebecca had already been dead upon the blow. "You need to move past it." _That's easy for him to say_, Kris thought spitefully. Jane probably hadn't moved past the death of his wife and child, yet he was able to move past every other death—violent or not—as if it hadn't happened? "Red John decapitated her; it's a warning that the worst is yet to come." That made sense. In his own world or not, Kris could see that Jane knew exactly what game Red John was playing with them and it made her extremely nervous. If Rebecca's lifeless head and body had signaled that the _worst was yet to come_, Kris had no desire to _see _the worst left behind by Red John and his crew.

Jane took her fingers in his hand and squeezed lightly. Kris pulled her fingers from his grasp and continued on toward the last cell within the room; every step caused her heart to beat frantically within her chest and she tried to remember how to breathe, as her lungs refused to fill with air. If it hadn't been for the fear that somebody was hiding within the brig for them, she would have called out to Lisbon, just to see if the previous first mate would have responded to their calls.

"Dear god," Kris breathed in disbelief, as she and Jane stood outside the last cell; its scarlet drenched walls and floor were enough to make her stomach roll, because she knew nobody could be alive after losing _that _much blood. Red John, it seemed, had viciously taken a body and bashed the person's head against the walls, until only brain matter and blood remained.

Her eyes scanned the bloodbath of a cell, trying to ignore the sea of red, when she found it.

A petite human body curled up and stained red, in the back corner.

From a distance, Kris couldn't tell if the petite human was male or female. She couldn't even tell if the petite human had dark hair or light, due to the amount of blood that coated the deathly still body. All she knew was that whoever it was, was dead.

She took a step forward, the blood squelching under her boots. Kris had to know who the person was, if only to calm her fears that the Red Rum hadn't killed Lisbon. Jane's voice stopped her.

"The smiley face is _above _her body."

Kris's heart plummeted into her stomach. _Her body_. Somehow, Jane had figured out that the petite was a female and Kris found it hard to breathe again. Rebecca had been the first female, the Red Rum had been made up of only males, and Lisbon was the last option to have been killed.

"Kris." Her heart sank even lower at Jane's distant tone, even though he stood next to her. "Her toenails have been painted in her own blood." Kris couldn't wait any longer, she had to know if the petite human was Lisbon or not. Without heeding her earlier warning of _don't you think this is a bit suspicious,_ she stepped to the petite human and bent down to stare at the blood-drenched front side of the deceased. The clothes (ratty and filled with holes) looked familiar, but Kris couldn't place where she had seen them before.

Long, dark hair hung limply down the individual's face and Kris, with a shaky hand, pushed the dark hair aside to find a faceless corpse. _Lisbon's corpse_, Kris realized with a lurch. The clothes—dark, hole-filled pants and white shirt stained with blood—had been Lisbon's outfit the day she had been taken. Red John had removed _Lisbon's _face and had painted her toenails with her own blood, after he had thrown her around the cell and used his sword to cut through her skin; the way she sagged against the wall reminded Kris of a doll that she used to own and she tried to blink back the tears.

They had failed to save Lisbon. The Scarlet Oasis—the _good _pirates—had failed to find a happy ending for their previous first mate, who had deserved better than having her identity removed after death. Kris wondered where they had gone wrong; had Lisbon been killed upon arrival? Had Lisbon been killed shortly before battle? If they hadn't been so busy babysitting Jane, would they have found Lisbon before the Red Rum had taken her? Her blood rushed in her ears.

_They killed her_, Kris seethed, _and I'm going to kill them! _

From behind her, she heard Jane's fist hit against the cell wall and she remembered the last words Lisbon had said to her: _"You should show him some respect, Kris. I know he's insufferable and intolerable at times, but he _is _the Captain of our ship." _All Lisbon had ever wanted from her was to get along and respect Jane; something that none of them (especially toward the end of the five months) had been able to do and within her chest, her heart hurt. They had all failed Lisbon in more than one way and now, they couldn't even make it up to her.

However…

The more she thought about Lisbon and the way Red John had tossed her into the cell, the more she felt that something just wasn't right. Why wasn't Red John or O'Laughlin standing over Lisbon's body? In her thoughts, she had always imagined the faceless specters of Red John or O'Laughlin standing over Lisbon; and they had always held a bloodied sword, for they had just finished slicing through the previous first mates' chest. From everything Jane had told her, avoiding the chance to gloat didn't seem like O'Laughlin _or _Red John's game, yet the men weren't even in sight.

Of course, it was always possible that the men had felt that Lisbon wasn't important anymore. One, Kris knew, could only bleed so many times, before the idea of torture grew old and she wondered if maybe, just maybe, the Red Rum had grown tired of dealing blow after blow to a woman who wouldn't surrender herself to them.

_Or_, Kris thought with the shake of her head, _something else is going on_. The setup of the room still seemed too planned and too odd, which made her wonder if they weren't missing something important. Red John had gone _nine years _without being caught by Jane and only now—after Lisbon had been kidnapped—had they found him? It was either by a stroke of pure luck that someone had given Bosco the coordinates or someone was double dealing on the Red Rum.

She heard Jane hit his fist against the cell wall again, until he felt silent and Kris refused to speak. She didn't want to fill him with false hope or more anger, because she had merely suggested that _Lisbon might still be alive_.

Jane's words echoed back to her: _"You need to move past it." _And she realized that they would have time to mourn Lisbon's death _after _Red John and O'Laughlin were dead.

Either way, she grabbed onto Jane's hand and dragged him away from the brig and away from Lisbon's body; _we'll come back for you_, Kris promised, _we won't leave you again. _

Eventually, they found the first mate's room and without knocking, Kris burst into the small room.

Near the dresser, which stood at the right side of the room, she found O'Laughlin. Outraged, she watched him go through some of the Red Rum's miscellaneous paperwork, which she only knew because the stationary had the Red Rum seal on the back—the same signature she had found on Rebecca's flesh. A signature that thousands feared would one day end up on the walls of their home.

Kris gritted her teeth together and her hand went for her sword. _Someone _on that ship had killed Lisbon and even if it wasn't O'Laughlin, she was still going to drive her sword through his chest; the bastard had kidnapped her best friend and had prevented the previous first mate from being able to see how Jane had finally found what he had been searching for, for nine years. Lisbon would never be able see how he got the revenge he had desperately desired and she would never be able to say, _"You did it. You killed Red John."_ And above all, she would never know what they had done to save her. _That _was the most heartbreaking thought of all, on top of Lisbon's faceless corpse.

Her thoughts were interrupted when O'Laughlin dropped the papers to the dresser and turned his body to face them both. The smug bastard stood there with a look of triumph on his face and she took a step forward. O'Laughlin had thought that he won and though it was probably true; O'Laughlin and Red John both had a hand in Lisbon's gruesome murder and if it was up to her, she wouldn't leave the Red Rum until she was absolutely positive that both pirates got what they ultimately deserved.

_It won't bring her back_, Kris concluded with a glare, _but it will make us all feel better. _

Kris knew she and Jane were out for O'Laughlin's blood, even if they had to stab through his white, t-shirted chest to hit at his heart. Craig O'Laughlin had stolen the heart of their crew and she would be sure to have his. She was absolutely livid; they had killed her best friend, the only person who she had ever come to trust with some of her most personal stories. The stories that she hadn't even been able to share with James or anybody else that she had been friends with.

Lisbon had saved her from drinking herself into a coma, after she had left Timothy Carter and the life of a high-society woman. And if _anybody _deserved to be avenged, it was Lisbon.

"Are you here to bring your precious first mate back to the hell hole she was saved from?" O'Laughlin smirked in their general direction, as he leaned against the dresser; if he was talking about the hell hole known as the Red Rum, then he would be correct. If he was talking about the Scarlet Oasis, he was clueless.

The Scarlet Oasis had been nothing but a family to Lisbon for nine years. Hell, they had sacrificed five months of sailing just to find her. If Lisbon thought the crew hadn't loved her or been searching for her, the previous first mate had to be insane. Why would they let Lisbon suffer under the hands of O'Laughlin or Red John? Jane was many things, but he wasn't a monster (even after all of things that he had said and done to her and various others).

O'Laughlin shook his head in disappointment, but he had a smile plastered across his face. "Honestly," he started, as he looked straight at her, "I wasn't expecting the both of you. I was only expecting Patrick." He pointed his index finger towards Jane with, before he shifted slightly. O'Laughlin's response hadn't surprised her at all, which was why she had merely rolled her eyes. The Red Rum pirate probably knew that Jane had wanted to fight the Red Rum alone; that was probably what O'Laughlin had wanted also, but to give into what the bag of dirt wanted, was a sin onto itself. No matter how much Jane annoyed and confused her; for Lisbon, they worked together. "From what I've heard, you two don't have the best relationship."

Silently, she agreed with O'Laughlin. It also didn't surprise her that the Red Rum knew about her and Jane's dysfunctional partnership. Red John probably had eyes and ears on every island that they had stepped foot onto and to think that Red John had not caught wind of their squabbles would have perplexed her.

"How did you two ever come to a mutual understanding?" O'Laughlin stared her down, but she gave him no reaction and his eyes darted to Jane. Kris hoped that Jane would pull an excellent stoic face to O'Laughlin's question, because the Red Rum pirate couldn't know about what had happened between her and Jane without it being used against them both. She watched O'Laughlin's lips curl into a smile, as a look of clarification bled across his smug features. Kris grimaced slightly.

If O'Laughlin _was _as smart as Jane had made him out to be, then the man had probably already known. She had the vaguest feeling that O'Laughlin had counted on her and Jane's dysfunction relationship, so he could seize the day. But it hadn't worked out that way, thankfully.

"Oh! I see how you reconciled your differences." Kris stiffened and waited for O'Laughlin to say something, anything, else. Instead, he stepped toward her and gently smiled. She narrowed her eyes on him, but she couldn't take her sword out; she knew that if she did, one of them would immediately die. He stepped past her, before he gently brushed against her arm with his and stopped suddenly.

The bastard wasn't circling her, he was behind her.

"I'm going to guess," he started and Kris knew O'Laughlin's attention was on Jane, "since you now know the fate of your dear first mate; you have decided to take Kristina as your consolation prize." She had no clue to where this was going, but she had a feeling that whatever O'Laughlin was planning; it would only cause Jane to break the man's throat later. O'Laughlin, like Red John, apparently had a pattern for trying to take away everything Jane, she guessed, cared about. "Not that I blame you though."

Kris felt him trace his index finger under her chin and she flinched away at this touch. She had absolutely no desire to be touched by a man, who, in her opinion, had probably slept with every whore in Jubilee Island's red light district.

"She is quite gorgeous, but you see Patrick, my Captain wanted Lisbon and I got her for him." Kris tensed. Lisbon wasn't an object! Lisbon had been a person; someone who had dreamed and lived and breathed for the open waters. "However, my Captain feels he needs to reward for me for my valiant efforts." Her skin started to crawl at the thought that Red John had considered _her _to be a reward for O'Laughlin's kidnapping of Lisbon, even though the man probably hadn't struggled with the previous first mate too much. She knew that the Red Rum had distasteful views toward women, but the fact that they viewed them as prizes to be won, was absolutely disgusting.

Kris had to wonder how many of the men, before the Scarlet Oasis had come for battle, had viewed Lisbon as a prize to be won? She shuddered at the mere thought of anyone using Lisbon as a toy, although she wouldn't put it past the bastards.

His hot breath hit her ear and she stiffened. "I have a desire to be touched again by someone other than that worthless whore of yours, Patrick." O'Laughlin chuckled, mirthlessly. Kris watched as Jane raised his blade toward O'Laughlin and she stepped away from him, but not before the Red Rum pirate grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back against his body.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched O'Laughlin eye Jane; a cunning smile across his face, he lifted her chin up toward him. O'Laughlin's lips pressed against her chin, as he trailed light kisses along her chin and down her neck and back up toward her ear. A lock of hair escaped from behind her ear and he shoved it back, only to encircle his arms around her waist. "What names did he call you in bed?" Disgust spread across her features; he had whispered loud enough to where Jane had reacted with an eyebrow raise and a lift of his sword. O'Laughlin paid Jane no mind though, as he had continued to purr heavily into her ear and he started to gyrate his lower body against hers. Kris tried to keep her focus on Jane and not the motions, which were sending mixed signals through her body. She felt O'Laughlin's hand on her breast; Kris wanted to break free of his hold, but she was afraid of what he would do if she tried. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, even though he had yet to stop rubbing against her.

O'Laughlin's chest rumbled. "When I had your easy first mate, she would ask me what I wanted from her." O'Laughlin's fingers had snaked down her shirt and inserted themselves within her bra; the callouses of his fingers dug into her breasts and she bit her lip. He wasn't being gentle; he was trying to make her submit herself to him. "She would beg me for more, Patrick, especially as I caressed her beautifully formed, voluptuous breasts. Both of them," O'Laughlin gave hers a squeeze, "swelled until they were painful, glistening and tasting of her cum." His fingers trailed from her breasts to pet at her smooth stomach and Kris shuddered against him. She felt violated, on so many different levels from his disgusting touch. "She would look at me with those blazing, emerald eyes and ask me to make love to her." Kris swallowed hard. There was no way that Lisbon would have submitted herself to O'Laughlin. Lisbon was strong, one of the strongest people she knew, and there was no way that O'Laughlin could have gotten _Lisbon_to beg him for sex. "She knew exactly how to pleasure me, Patrick. I'd lie completely still and her tongue would curl around my manhood like fire, she'd use her spit to cool us both down and yes, I would lose myself in her." She heard him, as he started to breathe heavily again. "My name was the first thing from her lips: _"Craig" _over and over again; her glistening skin and cum making stains on my bed and on my thighs." He gripped at her shirt and she tried to escape, but he wouldn't let her do so. She felt his grip loosen slightly, before he slid one hand from her stomach, down toward the waistband of her tan shorts. "Let's see if you're any better than that bitch, my dearest Kristina."

Kris heard the anger in his voice, but she was frozen in fear. How was she supposed to escape? O'Laughlin knew exactly what he wanted and she was just his toy; something he could break and throw away, without much consequence. Her eyes shot open, hoping to find Jane's comforting presence, but Jane was frozen; his eyes wide and his jaw slackened.

O'Laughlin's hand, icy to the touch, dipped below her shorts, beneath her underwear, and she shivered against him, only to feel his erection against her backside. Kris continued to bite at her lip, as she tried to maintain her logic that this wasn't something she should have been turned on by, but instead, something that she should kill the bastard for. She felt his frigid hand skim over her inner thigh, glistening with moistness, before he stroked her opening with his hand. Kris gasped. Was he _trying _to drive her insane? Was he trying to kill her with his teasing fingers? She would have given it more thought, if it hadn't been for the feeling of two fingers being inserted inside of her.

Kris felt her knees buckle and start to shake, but she wasn't going to submit herself to O'Laughlin. She was stronger than that. Lisbon had been stronger than that. His fingers circled around inside of her, rubbing and stroking, while she felt a shot of pain that enveloped every inch of her body. His ministrations were rough, but the pain she had felt, slowly melted away into pleasure. O'Laughlin continued to get her off with his fingers, as she gripped at his hand, until the pain shot through her once more and she gripped tighter; the stronger grip, she hoped, would break his hand.

Her inner thighs burned; combined with his touch and the liquid that seeped from her body. His touch made her mind race and she closed her eyes. Kris knew what was happening was wrong, but all she could think about was _that _night. How Jane had pinned her against the wall; his fingers had been like velvet inside of her, after the pain had worn away. O'Laughlin's voice faded away and she heard Jane's voice, whispering into her ear about how he only wanted her.

_O'Laughlin isn't behind me_, Kris told herself, _it's Jane_. _He wants to make love, again. _

She remembered how before they had fallen asleep, both in a post-sex haze, he had told her about how she was the woman of his dreams. That he hadn't felt that kind of physical attraction to anyone in years and it had made her feel special, if only for a brief few seconds. Kris remembered how he had caressed her face, when they had been talking and how, when she had rolled away from him, he had wrapped his arm around her with a soft smile; it had made her feel safe and secure.

Amidst the horrible situation, logic overtook her mind. Jane probably hadn't meant those words. He had probably said them to thousands of other women, maybe even to Lisbon. She always had suspected that something had gone down between those two, even if the woman hadn't told her directly; there had been moments in the past, where they both had seemed a bit awkward with each other.

All of this, while O'Laughlin continued to _play _with her, led her back to the same conclusion: Lisbon would _always _be Jane's first choice, no matter how many times she had made him call out her name or how many times he had entered inside of her.

Another image interrupted her thoughts and it had her confused. She heard his voice in her thoughts, _"I love you." _And she recognized the voice almost immediately; it was James. James was speaking the words that he had written her in the letter that she received from General Bosco and when she had read it, she had sworn that he had been next to her on her coat. His gentle smile and soft voice clouded her mind and for a moment, she forgot who it really was behind her.

Kris remembered how after her father would beat her, James would hold her in his arms and pet her hair; how he had helped heal her injuries and how he had listened to her rants. She remembered their inside jokes and how he had promised that he would always save her.

_Those were the happiest two years of my life_, Kris thought sadly, _I'll never see him again either. _

The sound of O'Laughlin's voice cut through her thoughts again. "That bitch was better; at least she could form my name around those red lips of hers. Right, Patrick?" The silence was overwhelming, and the question wasn't meant to be answered, as he continued to bait her. She knew what he was doing, but she couldn't form the words or gain the strength to pull away. Kris had been engulfed by his soft touch; her breathing was rapid and unsteady and she just wanted him to finish her off, just so he would stop touching her.

O'Laughlin removed himself from her and she fell to her knees; her legs had become limp and useless and her hand rested on her abdomen. O'Laughlin hadn't hurt her too badly, but it was just the last time something like _that _had happened; she had been carried to a bed. Kris watched O'Laughlin step in front of her, before he bent down to her level and was face-to-face with her; a cruel smirk upon his face. "You are just as worthless as that green-eyed wench." The word _wench _made her stomach clench into tight knots; he reminded her of Governor Bertram, her father and Timothy Carter, who had continuously used that word to insult her.

She glanced at O'Laughlin, swallowing her nerves. "Go to hell, you arrogant son of a bitch." She spat at him. "If I was able to touch my sword right now, I'd castrate you and save the population from being rammed by you." She spat at him again. O'Laughlin deserved it, especially, for violating her in such a personal way. Kris kept her eyes on him, as he wiped the saliva from his face and raised his hand toward her; she closed her eyes, he was going to hit her. But it never came and she opened her eyes, only to find him standing and smiling down at her.

O'Laughlin backed away from her and from the corner of her eye, she saw Jane step toward her; his arms reached out slowly in front of him to help her. She held out her free hand to stop him and shook her head in rejection. Jane's offer of help was sweet, but where had he been five minutes ago? Kris looked up at him and saw a mixture of anger, guilt and concern in his eyes; she understood where the emotions were coming from, as she pushed them away from her to kill O'Laughlin, but all of that dealt with how she was going to get back up onto her feet.

Instead, she looked down and placed both of her palms firmly onto the carpeted ground.

_Hopefully_, she thought, _my legs won't fall beneath me. _

Slowly, she stood up. Her knees still shook, but Kris concluded that it had been from the shock her body had just received and not from some ever-lasting injury given to her by O'Laughlin. Kris watched as O'Laughlin stepped behind her again and she could feel his hands on her shoulders, before Jane raised his sword to O'Laughlin's chin.

Jane was livid, she could tell; his body was shaking, his eyes were narrowed and his hand had wrapped around his sword. However, she was more than ready to take O'Laughlin out by herself, if needed. Whether Jane realized it or not, O'Laughlin was too distracted by his sex drive to notice what she was up too and a quick swipe to the jugular would have him dead, within minutes.

Although, the whole encounter had focused on her, she had a feeling that they wouldn't be getting out of this easily; all thanks to the way O'Laughlin gripped at her shoulders, his nails digging into her skin.

"It's simple, Patrick." O'Laughlin continued on. Jane didn't look confused; he looked driven to finish what had been started years ago. "You can either kill my Captain or you can save your dearest Kristina, but you can't do both."

Kris knew, without a doubt, what his decision would be. Jane had found Red John because of her, but just because he had feelings for her; it didn't mean that he would change for her. Patrick Jane, after all, was a creature of habit and killing Red John had become a programmed thought into his brain.

And even before his feet crossed the threshold and the door slammed shut behind him, she knew Red John would always be his first choice.


End file.
